Jupiter-3 Deploys Solar Arrays and Antennas in Orbit

Jupiter-3 Deploys Solar Arrays and Antennas in Orbit.

EchoStar's Jupiter-3, the world's heaviest commercial communications satellite, is operating as expected after placing its solar panels and antennas in geostationary orbit. The satellite, which was launched on July 28, 2023, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, reached its final position at 95 degrees west longitude on November 20, 2023.

Jupiter-3 is a Ka-band satellite that will provide broadband and broadcast services to North America and Latin America. The satellite is equipped with 54 Ka-band transponders, which can provide up to 500 gigabits per second of throughput. Jupiter-3 also has four large reflector antennas that will be used to transmit and receive signals from Earth.

"The successful deployment of Jupiter-3's solar arrays and antennas is a major milestone for EchoStar," said EchoStar President and CEO Daniel Einsberg. "This satellite will play a critical role in providing our customers with the broadband and broadcast services they need."

Jupiter-3 is the third satellite in EchoStar's Jupiter series. The first two satellites in the series, Jupiter-1 and Jupiter-2, were launched in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Jupiter-1 and Jupiter-2 are both operational and are providing broadband and broadcast services to North America.

The successful deployment of Jupiter-3's solar arrays and antennas is a testament to the strong partnership between EchoStar and its suppliers. Maxar Technologies built the nine-ton Ka-band satellite and supplied its solar panels. L3Harris Technologies manufactured antennas for Jupiter-3.

"We are pleased to have partnered with EchoStar on this important project," said Maxar CEO Howard Lance. "Jupiter-3 is a testament to our team's expertise in satellite design and manufacturing."

"We are proud to have supplied the antennas for Jupiter-3," said L3Harris CEO William Brown. "Our antennas are known for their reliability and performance, and we are confident that they will help Jupiter-3 provide its customers with the services they need."