Space Systems/Loral announced it completed all assembly, integration and tests of the DirecTV 8 satellite more than two months ahead of the contracted schedule. The DirecTV 8 satellite, built for The DirecTV Group Inc., is a hybrid Ka-/Ku-band spacecraft.

“I am impressed by the ability of SS/L to complete this satellite so far ahead of schedule,” DirecTV Senior Vice President of Communications Systems Jim Butterworth said in a prepared statement. “This is almost unheard of in the satellite industry and is emblematic of SS/L’s demonstrably improved manufacturing process.”

The primary mission of the satellite is to maintain quality of service to DirecTV’s existing direct-to-home satellite television customers. It will provide selectable medium- and high-power Ku-band broadcast services to the United States on up to 32 transponders. The Ka-band payload will use the full 1,000 MHz of Ka-band communications bandwidth available to link DirecTV facilities as part of the company’s infrastructure development for the upcoming launch of local digital and high-definition services. The satellite is designed to have a 15-year life.

In other SS/L news, Panamsat Corp. selected it to build the Galaxy 18 satellite. The satellite, based on SS/L’s 1300 platform, will carry 24 Ku-band and 24 C-band transponders and will operate from 123 degrees West. The contract is pending bankruptcy court approval.