Advanced Television

Jupiter 3

Jupiter-3 a changemaker

EchoStar’s Jupiter-3 satellite is a true giant for subsidiary HughesNet. When stowed within the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket (on July 28th 2023) it was described as being about the size of a school bus. Within hours of its launch it was successfully receiving and sending signals. However, today’s picture is not quite so rosy. Despite […]

April 5, 2024

Hughes brings Jupiter 3 into service

Hughes Network System has launched new Hughesnet service plans for US/Americas consumers that leverages capacity from its new Jupiter 3 satellite (the largest commercial communication satellite ever built). Hughes says these Jupiter-powered plans fundamentally reinvent what satellite internet can be – offering faster speeds (up to 100 Mb/s download speeds), unlimited data, Whole Home Wi-Fi […]

December 21, 2023By Chris Forrester

EchoStar’s Jupiter 3 being tested

Maxar Space Systems says it has successfully handed over operations of the largest commercial communications satellite ever manufactured in their Palo Alto, California facility, the Jupiter 3 broadband satellite, for EchoStar’s HughesConnects subsidiary. The satellite, already in orbit, includes 14 solar panels on board that when fully deployed could span a 10-storey building. Maxar Space […]

November 17, 2023

Jupiter 3 performing “nominally”

Jupiter 3, a massive satellite owned by EchoStar and serving clients of Hughes Communications which was launched on July 29th, is performing “nominally” – which is good news for its owner. The satellite, manufactured by Maxar Technologies, began sending and receiving its first signals shortly after launch, and engineers deployed Jupiter 3’s important solar arrays, […]

August 1, 2023By Chris Forrester

SpaceX lofts Jupiter 3 for EchoStar

After two scrubbed attempts, a SpaceX ‘Heavy’ rocket successfully placed a massive satellite for EchoStar-owned Hughes Communications into orbit in a night-time launch on July 28th. It was the 250th successful mission for SpaceX. The rocket’s core booster was supported by two side boosters – which a few minutes later made a synchronised landing back […]

July 31, 2023By Chris Forrester

Jupiter 3/EchoStar XXIV ready to launch

If all goes to schedule, SpaceX will launch the giant Jupiter 3/EchoStar XXIV satellite today (July 26th). The launch, from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, will see two Falcon 9 booster rockets re-land simultaneously after launch. SpaceX is using one of its Falcon 9 ‘Heavy’ version rockets which means the central booster will be […]

July 26, 2023By Chris Forrester

Jupiter 3 preps for launch

The massive Jupiter 3 satellite (also known as EchoStar XXIV) has arrived at Cape Canaveral in readiness for launch. The craft is the largest commercial communications satellite ever built. Built by Maxar Technologies of Palo Alto, California, it was flown in a giant Antonov aircraft to the space coast where it will undergo pre-launch testing […]

July 3, 2023By Chris Forrester

Satellite CEOs: “2021 better than expected”

This past year has been full of continued Covid problems and a near-absence of lucrative cruise ship passengers and crews as well as much-curtailed airline traffic which combined to severely limit revenues for In Flight business communications and cruise holiday-makers (and their families). However, the consensus from satellite industry executives is that while this past […]

December 21, 2021

Analyst: EchoStar returns to growth

A report from analysts at Quilty Analytics says that Charlie Ergen-backed satellite operation EchoStar is returning to growth mode. The firm says that EchoStar has reported its third consecutive quarter-year of solid top-line growth coupled with double-digit bottom-line growth. “In an unusual twist, however, the majority of this growth was driven by enterprise/equipment demand, including […]

November 22, 2021By Chris Forrester

EchoStar’s Jupiter 3 craft delayed to 2022

Denver-based EchoStar says that its much-needed Jupiter 3 giant broadband satellite, originally slated for a launch in 2021 has been badly delayed. It is likely to be a year late in its launch. The problems, while not specified, are almost certainly down to the Covid-19 virus and inevitable delays in construction at the Maxar Technologies […]

November 9, 2020By Chris Forrester