ILS to Launch DIRECTV 12 on December 29
The DIRECTV 12 next-generation satellite , scheduled for launch on December 29th from the Baikonour, Kazakhstan that will becomes operational in the first half of next year, it will expand DIRECTV’s HD capacity by 50 percent to more than 200 national channels. The r payload integrates 32 active and 12 spare transponders at Ka-band for national service and 55 active and 15 spare transponders for spot beams. The payload is powered by a gallium arsenide solar array that spans more than 48 meters. DIRECTV 12 will receive and transmit programming throughout the United States with two large Ka-band reflectors, each measuring 2.8 meters in diameter and nine other Ka-band reflectors.
The satellite will be launched by a Proton M launch vehicle and will be positioned at 102.8 degrees West .It has an anticipated service life of 15 years.