Boeing turned over the Spaceway F2 satellite to DirecTV Inc. following the completion of in-orbit checkout of the spacecraft, Boeing announced April 19.

Spaceway F2, launched in November, is part of DirecTV’s plans to expand its high-definition (HD) offerings to direct-to-home television customers. The satellite currently is broadcasting local HD programming in eight markets and will begin broadcasting to an additional 16 markets by mid 2006. DirecTV launched 12 HD local markets in 2005 on Spaceway F1.

Boeing also is building DirecTV 10, DirecTV 11 and an on-ground spare as part of DirecTV’s plans to increase its HD capacity to more than 1,500 local and 150 national channels by the end of 2007.