DirecTV-12
| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | DirecTV |
| COSPAR ID | 2009-075A |
| SATCAT no. | 36131 |
| Mission duration | 15 years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | BSS-702 |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | December 29, 2009, 00:22:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Proton-M/Briz-M |
| Launch site | Baikonur 200/39 |
| Contractor | ILS |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Longitude | 76° West (testing) 103.0° West (current) |
| Perigee | 35,791 kilometers (22,239 mi) |
| Apogee | 35,795 kilometers (22,242 mi) |
| Inclination | 0.04 degrees |
| Period | 1436.12 minutes |
| Epoch | January 24, 2015, 09:34:01 UTC |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 500 MHz |
DirecTV-12, also known as D12, is a Boeing model 702 satellite built by the Boeing Satellite Development Center. It was launched on December 29, 2009 and became operational on May 19, 2010. It is used by DirecTV to provide additional high definition channels and Video on demand content, as well as 3DTV channels and content.
This satellite is similar to DirecTV-10 and DirecTV-11, but features a 17/24 GHz BSS payload carrying the moniker RB-2A. It is co-located with SPACEWAY-1 and DirecTV-10 very near 103.0°W.
On November 27, the satellite was shipped to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Kazakhstan desert from the Boeing facility in El Segundo, California.
D12 was launched successfully by International Launch Services on December 29, 2009 at 6:22 AM Kahzakstan time (00:22 UTC) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard an Enhanced Proton Breeze-M rocket. The launch was televised publicly live on DirecTV channel 577, on C-Band satellite, and online at ILS's website.
DirecTV-12 reached 76° W on February 11, 2010 and began testing 2 days later. After 3 weeks of scheduled testing, RB-2A began being tested. On April 23, D12 was granted a Special Temporary Authority to continue testing at 76° W for 30 more days. Testing was completed in late April.
On March 31, 2010 DirecTV filed a Special Temporary Authority for permission to drift to its final position at 103° W. It was granted on April 23. It reached its final position on May 11 and began operations on May 13. Boeing handed the satellite over to DirecTV on May 17.
...
Wikipedia