Sea Launch Co. has signed a firm contract to launch the the EchoStar XI Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) in 2007, The Boeing Co. announced.
That contract, signed with EchoStar Communications Corp., will mean the third mission for Sea Launch with such a payload, launching EchoStar IX in August 2003 and EchoStar X in February 2006.
The new contract, signed in November, requires Sea Launch to lift the EchoStar XI spacecraft to geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Under construction by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), the spacecraft is based on SS/L’s 1300-series platform and will support EchoStar’s DISH Network customers.
"We are honored to have the opportunity to launch another spacecraft for EchoStar," said Rob Peckham, interim president and general manager for Sea Launch. "This new contract serves to reinforce our long-term relationship with EchoStar, and with Space Systems/Loral. We intend to follow through with another successful mission, responding to their confidence in our launch system and our team."
EchoStar XI is a DBS spacecraft designed to complement the existing EchoStar fleet. Its Ku-band payload will provide uninterrupted service and additional capacity and capabilities for EchoStar’s DISH Network customers. The 1300 bus-which Boeing said is an industry leader in power, performance and reliability–is a space-proven platform for a wide range of satellite services, providing total satellite power capability of 20 kilowatts throughout the life of the satellite.