Title: SpaceX Delivers World’s Heaviest Commercial Communications Satellite to Orbit
Subtitle: EchoStar’s Jupiter-3 Satellite Successfully Launched by SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy Rocket
Date: July 28, 2023
TAMPA, Fla. – In a landmark achievement, SpaceX successfully launched EchoStar’s Jupiter-3 spacecraft, a more than nine metric ton communications satellite, into geosynchronous transfer orbit on July 28. This marks the world’s heaviest commercial communications satellite ever deployed.
The satellite, built by Maxar Technologies, lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 11:04 p.m. Eastern on a dedicated Falcon Heavy rocket. It separated from the rocket approximately three and a half hours after liftoff. Notably, both Falcon Heavy side boosters also made successful landings at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station for future reuse.
The mission had initially been scheduled for July 26 but was delayed for vehicle checkouts following an abort call during the countdown. The reasons for the abort were not disclosed by SpaceX.
EchoStar’s subsidiary, Hughes Networks Systems, confirmed that the Jupiter-3 satellite has started sending and receiving signals post-launch. Engineers have also successfully deployed its solar arrays. Upon reaching its 95 degrees west orbital slot and completing health checks in the fourth quarter, the satellite is expected to double the capacity of EchoStar’s Jupiter fleet with an additional 500 gigabits per second.
The broadband services provided by Jupiter-3 will address the rising demand for internet connectivity over the Americas, where EchoStar has been losing subscribers due to capacity constraints. The company’s chief operating officer, Paul Gaske, expressed optimism that Jupiter-3 would allow EchoStar to grow in key markets, offer improved plans to existing customers, and overcome capacity limitations.
Jupiter-3, initially ordered by EchoStar in 2017 from Space Systems Loral (now Maxar Technologies), is the largest spacecraft ever manufactured by Maxar. With dimensions comparable to a standard school bus, or roughly the size of a Boeing 737 when fully deployed, Jupiter-3 surpasses the previous record held by Telesat’s Telstar-19 Vantage satellite deployed in 2018.
The successful launch of Jupiter-3 marks the third Falcon Heavy mission of 2023 and the seventh overall since its debut in 2018. It also represents SpaceX’s 51st launch mission this year.