DirecTV-8

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

17:59:08

Sunday May 22, 2005

Mission Details

DirecTV-8

Wiki

The DirecTV 8 satellite provides selectable medium and high-power Ku-band broadcast services to the U.S. on up to 32 transponders. The service is optimized to support the current and next-generation higher coding rate services that DirecTV provides. The Ka-band payload uses the full 1,000 MHz of Ka-band communications bandwidth available to link DirecTV facilities as part of DirecTV's dramatic infrastructure development for the launch of local digital and high-definition services in the Ka-band. The satellite is designed to provide almost 8,500 Watts of DC power at the end of its 15-year mission life and weighs less than 3,800 kilograms at separation from the Proton launch vehicle. The spacecraft is a version of SS/L's space-proven SSL-1300 satellite platform, which has an excellent record of reliable operation. The geostationary SSL-1300 has a designed service life of 15 years and maintains station-keeping and orbital stability by using bipropellant propulsion and momentum-bias systems. A system of high-efficiency solar arrays and lightweight batteries provides uninterrupted electrical power.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit

1 Payload

3,711 kilograms

Rocket

Active
Proton-M/Briz-M

Active Since 2001

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center logo

Manufacturer

Khrunichev

Price

$65.00 million

Rocket

Height: 58.18m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 21,000 kg

GTO: 6,900 kg

Liftoff Thrust

10,027 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 4.35m

Height: 15.26m

Stages

4

Launch Site

Site 200/39

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Fastest Turnaround

10 days 23 hours

Stats

Proton-M


8th

Mission

2nd

Mission of 2005

2005


19th

Orbital launch attempt