Operator Hughes Launch site Kourou ELA-3 Reference system Geocentric Launch mass 6,075 kg Rocket Ariane 5 Regime Geostationary orbit | Mission duration 12 years Contractor Arianespace Longitude 95° West Launch date 14 August 2007 Bus Boeing 702 | |
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Manufacturer Boeing Satellite Development Center Similar EchoStar XVII, AMC‑21, Skynet 5C, Galaxy 17, TDRS‑9 | ||
SPACEWAY-3 is a communications satellite which, as of August 2007, is undergoing on-orbit testing after its successful launch. The third satellite in the SPACEWAY series, it includes a Ka-band communications payload. After testing it will be used by Hughes Network Systems to provide broadband Internet Protocol network service.
Launch
SPACEWAY-3 was launched August 14, 2007 on an Ariane 5 launch vehicle. It lifted off at 23:44 GMT from Ariane Launch Complex 3 of the Guiana Space Centre. Five hours and 46 minutes later, signals from the spacecraft were successfully received at a ground station in Hartebeesthoek, South Africa.
In March 2007, shortly after the failure of a Sea Launch rocket launch in January, Hughes Network Systems switched launch of SPACEWAY-3 from a Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket to an Ariane 5 launch vehicle.