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The JUPITER 3 communications satellite is displayed in its launch configuration prior to being encapsulated. The photograph was generously provided by Hughes.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., July 26 (UPI) — Kennedy Space Center in Florida is preparing for the launch of JUPITER 3, a colossal Hughes communications satellite that is as big as a school bus. The satellite will be carried into space by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on Wednesday night.
Constructed by Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, Calif., the JUPITER 3 satellite is valued at $90 million and is recognized as the largest commercial communications satellite ever built. According to Sharyn Nerenberg, the Vice President of Corporate Communications at Hughes, the satellite has the same wingspan as a commercial airliner and weighs over 20 tons.
Liftoff is scheduled for 11:04 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A, with a 99-minute launch window. The U.S. Space Force forecasters predict the weather to be 85% favorable.
Once in its designated flight path, the JUPITER 3 spacecraft will separate from the rocket and eventually assume a station-keeping slot, where it will begin operating as a relay station.
The satellite, also known as EchoStar XXIV, will provide a transmission capacity of 500 gigabits per second throughout the Americas.
Operating in the Ka band, the satellite is equipped with an ultra-high density system designed to deliver a faster and more responsive Internet experience, along with increased capacity. Sharyn Nerenberg emphasized that the utilization of highly concentrated spot beams enables the satellite to allocate capacity to the specific areas where it is most needed.
The JUPITER 3 satellite’s primary purpose is to serve customers in North and South America, ranging from individual consumers to small businesses and government entities.
“The satellite will achieve the advertised ultra-high density service capacity through its 300 beacons focusing on the service area,” explained Nerenberg.
JUPITER 2, the predecessor to JUPITER 3, offers a transmission capacity of 200 gigabits per second, while JUPITER 1 provides 120 gigabits per second, Nerenberg added.
In addition to providing greater capacity and faster connection speeds, the satellite’s applications will support Wi-Fi for commercial airlines, maritime interests, enterprise networking, and cellular telephone service. This expanded range of resources is particularly beneficial for areas that lack fiber optics and cable services.
The Falcon Heavy rocket, belonging to SpaceX, is one of the most powerful launch vehicles currently in operation. It is specifically required to propel JUPITER 3 into orbit above the Equator.
Consisting of three Falcon 9 rockets arranged side by side, the Falcon Heavy rocket utilizes the second stage, positioned atop the core rocket, to transport the satellite to its final orbit position.
The two rockets on either side of the core stage act as single-stage boosters, which, along with the core stage, provide the necessary thrust for JUPITER 3 to ascend to geostationary orbit.
Upon separation from the second stage, the first stage and boosters will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. The twin boosters are expected to land on the landing pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, located adjacent to Kennedy Space Center.
The Falcon Heavy rocket has a height of 230 feet and a diameter of 40 feet. It is fueled by a combination of refined hydrocarbons, commonly referred to as kerosene, and liquid oxygen.
Comprising three reusable Falcon 9 nine-engine cores, the rocket generates a combined thrust of 5.1 million pounds from its 27 Merlin engines. This is equivalent to the thrust produced by 18 Jumbo 747 airliners, as detailed by SpaceX.
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