EchoStar X

EchoStar X,[1] also known as EchoStar 10, is an American geostationary communications satellite which is operated by EchoStar on behalf of Dish Network. It is positioned in Geostationary orbit at a longitude of 110° West, from where it is used to provide direct broadcasting services to the United States.

EchoStar X was built by Lockheed Martin, and is based on the A2100AXS satellite bus. It is equipped with 42 J band (IEEE ) transponders, and at launch it had a mass of 4333 kg, with an expected operational lifespan of 16 years[2][3]

The satellite was launched using a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL carrier rocket flying from the Ocean Odyssey launch platform. The launch occurred at 23:34:55 GMT on 15 February 2006,[4] leaving Echostar X in a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Its orbit was then raised using an onboard LEROS-1C apogee motor, with insertion into geostationary orbit occurring at 20:50 GMT on 22 February.[5]

See also

  • 2006 in spaceflight

References

  1. EchoStar X Our Satellites, Dish Network, retrieved 2009-08-08^
  2. UCS Satellite Database Union of Concerned Scientists, 2009-07-01, retrieved 2009-08-08^
  3. Gunter Krebs. Echostar 10 Gunter's Space Page, retrieved 2009-08-08^
  4. Jonathan McDowell. Launch Log Jonathan's Space Page, retrieved 2009-08-08^
  5. Jonathan McDowell. Index Geostationary Orbit Catalog, Jonathan's Space Page, retrieved 2009-08-08^