Boeing said Wednesday it has handed over its Spaceway F2 satellite to DIRECTV Inc. after completing its in-orbit testing.
Spaceway F2, the second of four spacecraft purchased by the television distributor from Boeing, will join Spaceway F1 as part of a capacity expansion that will enable DIRECTV to deliver more than 1,500 local high-definition channels and more than 150 national HD channels by the end of 2007.
Spaceway F2 began broadcasting local HD programming to DIRECTV customers in eight new markets Wednesday and will begin broadcasting to an additional 16 markets by mid-year. DIRECTV launched 12 HD local markets last year on Spaceway F1.
"Spaceway F2 has successfully completed all on-orbit testing and is starting service across the United States," said Stephen T. O'Neill, president of Boeing Satellite Systems International.
"The satellite joins the Boeing-built Spaceway F1 satellite to dramatically expand digital and HD programming. Together, the Spaceway satellites are the vanguard of DIRECTV's new fleet of spacecraft and include advanced capabilities, such as adaptable spot beams and reconfigurable routing."
Launched by Arianespace last Nov. 16 from the company's space center in Kourou, French Guiana, Spaceway F2 is the seventh Boeing-built satellite for DIRECTV.
Boeing also is building DIRECTV 10, DIRECTV 11 and an on-ground spare that will enable DIRECTV to expand its delivery of local and national HD programming significantly – including Hawaii and Alaska in 2007.
"With the Boeing handover of Spaceway F2, we will immediately begin the activation of HD programming in eight additional markets, and over the next several months, launch dozens more HD local markets," said Jim Butterworth, DIRECTV's senior vice president for communications systems.
Boeing designed and manufactured the 702 model geostationary satellite at its Satellite Development Center in El Segundo, Calif. The SDC, which encompasses approximately 1 million square feet, is the largest dedicated satellite factory in the world.
