EchoStar XVII

EchoStar XVII

Mission type	Communication
Operator	EchoStar
COSPAR ID	2012-035A
SATCAT no.	38551
Mission duration	Planned: 15 years Elapsed: 12 years, 5 months, 26 days
Spacecraft properties
Bus	LS-1300
Manufacturer	Space Systems/Loral
Launch mass	6,100 kilograms (13,400 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	5 July 2012, 21:36 (2012-07-05UTC21:36) UTC
Rocket	Ariane 5ECA
Launch site	Kourou ELA-3
Contractor	Arianespace
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Geostationary
Longitude	107.1° West
Perigee altitude	35,781 kilometers (22,233 mi)[1]
Apogee altitude	35,804 kilometers (22,248 mi)[1]
Inclination	0.01 degrees[1]
Period	1436.10 minutes[1]
Epoch	25 January 2015, 05:22:59 UTC[1]
Transponders
Band	60 Ka band (NATO K band)

EchoStar XVII or EchoStar 17, also known as Jupiter 1,^[2] is an American geostationary high throughput communications satellite which is operated by Hughes Network Systems, a subsidiary of EchoStar. It is positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 107.1° West,^[3] from where it is used for satellite internet access over HughesNet.^[4]

EchoStar XVII was built by Space Systems/Loral,^[5] and is based on the LS-1300 satellite bus.^[2] It measures 8.0 metres (26.2 ft) by 3.2 metres (10 ft) by 3.1 metres (10 ft), with 26.07-meter (85.5 ft) solar arrays which were deployed after launch, and generates a minimum of 16.1 kilowatts of power.^[3] The spacecraft had a mass at liftoff of 6,100 kilograms (13,400 lb), and is expected to operate for fifteen years.^[2] It carries sixty K_a band (NATO K band) transponders which is used to cover North America.^[3]

EchoStar XVII was launched by Arianespace, using an Ariane 5ECA carrier rocket flying from ELA-3 at Kourou. The spacecraft was launched at 21:36 UTC on 5 July 2012.^[6] The MSG-3 weather satellite was launched aboard the same rocket, mounted below EchoStar XVII, which was atop a Sylda 5 adaptor.^[3] The launch successfully placed both satellites into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. EchoStar XVII used its own propulsion system to manoeuvre into a geostationary orbit.^[4]

Path to geostationary orbit

Animation of EchoStar XVII's trajectory from 5 July 2012 to 19 July 2012
  EchoStar XVII ·   Earth

Animation of EchoStar XVII's trajectory Equatorial view from 5 July 2012 to 19 July 2012

See also

• ViaSat-1 – Similar high throughput satellite that was the source of a lawsuit to the manufacturer of both
• 2012 in spaceflight

References

1. "ECHOSTAR 17 Satellite details 2012-035A NORAD 38551". N2YO. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
2. Krebs, Gunter. "Echostar 17 / Jupiter 1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
3. "A Dual Launch for Internet and Weather Satellites" (PDF). Arianespace. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
4. "Hughes EchoStar XVII Satellite with JUPITER™ High Throughput Technology Successfully Launched". EchoStar. 6 July 2012. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
5. "EchoStar XVII". Space Systems/Loral. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
6. Bergin, Chris (5 July 2012). "Ariane 5 ECA launches with MSG-3 and EchoStar XVII". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 9 July 2012.