TS News - PAS-6 Launched

from: owner-ts-news@tele-satellite.com
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 18:06:29 +0900

TELE-satellit News, 11 August 1997

PAS-6 Launched
  KOUROU, French Guiana, 97/08/11 (TS) -- PAS-6, the first of three
high-powered broadcast satellites built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for
PanAmSat Corporation, was successfully launched from Kourou, French Guiana
on Friday morning EDT. The satellite has 10 kilowatts of total on-board
power, making it one of the most powerful communications satellites ever
launched. PAS-6, Latin America's first satellite designed and used
exclusively for DTH services, has an expected service life of 15 years.
Satellite, launch and insurance cost some US$225 million. It will be used
exclusively for the Sky Latin America digital DTH service.

  The satellite operates 36 high-powered transponders in the Ku-band, with
a total on-board satellite transmitter power greater than 3600 watts RF.
PAS-6 has three downlink beams, allowing it to transmit hundreds of
channels of digital programming to small, low-cost satellite dishes located
throughout South America.

  The design of all the PanAmSat satellites is based on SS/L's
flight-proven three-axis, body-stabilized FS-1300 bus, tailored to
accommodate the required communication payload. The modular design and
construction of the FS-1300 platform supports reliable long-life operation
with an integral bipropellant propulsion system to place the satellite on
station and provide station-keeping capability.

  SS/L will provide long-term mission operations and support for PAS-6
after launch and a brief in-orbit test period, continuing through its
entire operational life at a geosynchronous station of 43 degrees West
longitude. Orbit raising will be controlled from SS/L's mission control
centre in Palo Alto. PAS-6 is expected to be operational in October. Two
additional SS/L-built high-powered satellites, PAS-7 and PAS-8, will expand
PanAmSat's coverage of the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean regions and
provide the capacity to deliver various broadcast and data transmission
services. Both of these satellites are scheduled to be launched in 1998.

(c)TELE-satellit 1997. All rights reserved.

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