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Sea Launch Delivers XM Radio’s XM-4 Satellite to Orbit |
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LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 31, 2006/Satnews Daily/ — Sea Launch Company successfully delivered on Monday the XM-4 broadcast satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), on its way to an orbital location for in-orbit testing prior to placement in its final orbital position at 115 degrees West Longitude.
Sea Launch said early data indicate the spacecraft is accurately positioned and in excellent condition. XM confirmed a ground station at Hartebeesthoek, near Pretoria, South Africa, acquired the first signal from the satellite in orbit.
A Zenit-3SL vehicle lifted off at 3:49 pm Pacific Standard Time (23:49 GMT) from the Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned at 154 degrees West Longitude in the equatorial Pacific. All systems performed nominally throughout the flight. The Block DM upper stage inserted the 5,193 kg (11,448 lbs.) spacecraft into geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Built by the Boeing Satellite Development Center, the Boeing 702 spacecraft carries a high-power S-band Digital Audio Radio Service (DARS) payload provided by Alcatel Alenia Space. Like the three XM satellites currently in orbit, XM-4 will support XM Radio’s direct broadcast of digital radio programming to cars, homes and portable radios throughout the continental United States and Canada.
The XM-4 satellite will have 18 kilowatts of total power at the beginning of life on orbit. Specified for a 15-year lifespan, Sea Launch’s direct insertion into equatorial orbit is designed to yield additional years of service life. This is Sea Launch’s fourth successful launch for XM Satellite Radio, completing previous missions in March 2001, May 2001 and February 2005.
“The launch of the XM-4 satellite is the latest infrastructure milestone for XM,” said John Dealy, senior advisor of XM Satellite. “XM is now looking forward to similar results from the Boeing Satellite team during in-orbit test and commissioning of XM-4 for full service to the XM Nation of more than 7 million subscribers,” he added.
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