GERMANTOWN, Md., July 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services, today announced that the EchoStar XVII satellite built by Space Systems/Loral was successfully launched and placed into geostationary transfer orbit by Arianespace, setting the stage for the new HughesNet Gen 4 satellite Internet services offering dramatically increased performance and capacity.
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The Ariane 5 rocket lifted off July 5, 2012 at 5:36 p.m. eastern time from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 ECA launcher. The rocket left the spacecraft in a geosynchronous transfer orbit at approximately 6:03 p.m. eastern time. Space Systems/Loral's Mission Control Center in Palo Alto, California reported spacecraft acquisition at 6:20 p.m. eastern time when signals were received at the ground station in Hassan, Karnataka in India. Space Systems/Loral reports that all systems are functioning properly.
Extensive tests will be completed after the spacecraft is maneuvered into a circular orbit 22,300 miles above the equator at 107.1 degrees West longitude. Hughes expects to begin commercial operations this Fall.
The Ka-band EchoStar XVII with JUPITER high-throughput technology will enable HughesNet Gen4—Hughes' fourth-generation satellite Internet service. HughesNet Gen4 will dramatically increase Internet browsing performance and support high-bandwidth applications such as video and music. HughesNet Gen4 customers will be able to experience faster speeds and the industry's greatest download capacity so they can experience Internet connectivity at its fullest.
"The addition of EchoStar XVII to our existing satellite capacity, ground network, and services takes satellite Internet to the next dimension," said Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes. "Our HughesNet Gen4 customers will be able to enjoy a media-rich world like never before. We congratulate the Arianespace and Space Systems/Loral teams on a flawless launch."
About Arianespace
Arianespace is the world's leading launch service and solutions Company, providing innovation to its customers since 1980. Backed by 21 shareholders and the European Space Agency, Arianespace offers an international workforce renowned for a culture of commitment and excellence. As of today, Arianespace had performed 206 Ariane launches (301 payloads), 26 Soyuz launches (2 at the Guiana Space Center and 24 at Baikonur with Starsem) and the first launch of Vega. It has a backlog of 22 Ariane 5, 15 Soyuz and 3 Vega launches, equal to more than three years of business.
About Space Systems/Loral
Space Systems/Loral, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications (NASDAQ: LORL), has a long history of delivering reliable satellites and spacecraft systems for commercial and government customers around the world. As the world's leading provider of commercial satellites, the company works closely with satellite operators to provide spacecraft for a broad range of services including television and radio distribution, digital audio radio, broadband Internet, and mobile communications. Billions of people around the world depend on SS/L satellites every day. For more information, visit www.ssloral.com.
About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) is the world's leading provider of satellite broadband for home and office, delivering innovative network technologies, managed services, and solutions for enterprises and governments globally. HughesNet® is the #1 high-speed satellite Internet service in the marketplace, with offerings to suit every budget. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 2.8 million systems to customers in over 100 countries, representing over 50 percent market share. Its products employ global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI and ITU organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A, and GMR-1.
Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations and digital TV solutions. For additional information about Hughes, please visit www.hughes.com.
©2012 Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar company. Hughes and HughesNet are registered trademarks of Hughes Network Systems, LLC. JUPITER is a trademark of Hughes Network Systems. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC