QuetzSat 1 is a Mexican high-power geostationary

communications satellite A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a Transponder (satellite communications), transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a Rad ...

which is operated by the Mexican operator ''QuetzSat'' (a joint venture of SES, formerly in its full name Société Européenne des Satellites, of Luxembourg, and Grupo Medcom of Mexico, of the Serna family) QuetzSat press release
. It is positioned in

geostationary orbit A geostationary orbit, also referred to as a geosynchronous equatorial orbit''Geostationary orbit'' and ''Geosynchronous (equatorial) orbit'' are used somewhat interchangeably in sources. (GEO), is a circular orbit, circular geosynchronous or ...

, and located at 77° West, from where it provides direct broadcasting services to

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and a part of

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

for Dish Mexico.ILS Proton to launch QuetzSat 1
QuetzSat on NASA's NSSDC
QuetzSat 1 was built by Space Systems/Loral, and is based on the LS-1300

satellite bus A satellite bus (or spacecraft bus) is the main body and structural component of a satellite or spacecraft, in which the payload and all scientific instruments are held. Bus-derived satellites are less customized than specially-produced satelli ...

. It is equipped with 32

Ku band The Ku band () is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the microwave range of frequencies from 12 to 18 gigahertz (GHz). The symbol is short for "K-under" (originally ), because it is the lower part of the original NATO K ban ...

transponder In telecommunications, a transponder is a device that, upon receiving a signal, emits a different signal in response. The term is a blend of ''transmitter'' and ''responder''. In air navigation or radio frequency identification, a flight trans ...

and at launch it had a mass of . It has a design life of fifteen years.QuetzSat info on SS/Loral
QuetzSat 1 is part of the SES satellite fleet.SES Fleet and Coverage
.

Launch

QuetzSat 1 was launched by

International Launch Services International Launch Services, Inc. (ILS) is a joint venture with exclusive rights to the worldwide sale of commercial Angara and Proton rocket launch services. Proton launches take place at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan while Angara is l ...

using a Proton-M

carrier rocket A launch vehicle is typically a rocket-powered vehicle designed to carry a payload (a crewed spacecraft or satellites) from Earth's surface or lower atmosphere to outer space. The most common form is the ballistic missile-shaped multistag ...

with a Briz-M upper stage from site 200 of the

Baikonur Cosmodrome The Baikonur Cosmodrome is a spaceport operated by Russia within Kazakhstan. Located in the Kazakh city of Baikonur, it is the largest operational space launch facility in terms of area. All Russian Human spaceflight, crewed spaceflights are l ...

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

, at 18:32 UTC on 29 September 2011.Proton-M successfully launches QuetzSat 1
The launch successfully placed QuetzSat 1 into a geosynchronous transfer orbit, making it the 49th comsat of the SES satellite fleet.QuetzSat 1 roars into space on board Proton

Technical specs

*Operator: QuetzSat *Manufacturer: Space Systems/Loral *Purpose:

Direct-broadcast satellite Satellite television is a service that delivers television programming to viewers by relaying it from a communications satellite orbiting the Earth directly to the viewer's location.ITU Radio Regulations, Section IV. Radio Stations and Systems ...

*Orbital location: 77° West * Payload: 32

transponder * Platform: LS-1300S (expanded) *

Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...

: 5,514 kg *

Spacecraft propulsion Spacecraft propulsion is any method used to accelerate spacecraft and artificial satellites. In-space propulsion exclusively deals with propulsion systems used in the vacuum of space and should not be confused with space launch or atmospheric e ...

: Aerojet R-4D, 4 plasma thrusters SPT-100 *Stabilisation: 3 axis *Lifetime: 15 years *Also known as: 37826

References

External links

QuetzSat.com

InternationalLaunchServices.comBroadcast of the launch of QuetzSat 1
(''Windows'' and ''Flash'') {{Orbital launches in 2011 SES satellites Spacecraft launched in 2011 Satellites orbiting Earth Communications satellites in geostationary orbit Satellites using the SSL 1300 bus

Launch

Technical specs

See also

References

External links