Maxar Space Systems has handed over operations of the largest commercial communications satellite ever manufactured in their Palo Alto, California facility, the JUPITER™ 3 satellite, for EchoStar.
The satellite includes 14 solar panels on board that, when fully deployed, could span a 10-story building. Maxar Space Systems manufactured the spacecraft, which is also called EchoStar XXIV, in their Northern California facility. The satellite was launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
JUPITER 3 is an ultra-high-density satellite that will join the Hughes JUPITER fleet, which includes two other Maxar-built spacecraft. This newest spacecraft takes a significant leap forward in satellite engineering, showcasing cutting-edge advancements in communication satellite design and functionality.
The incorporation of industry-leading Q- and V-band gateway feeder links, along with miniaturized, solid-state electronics, highlights the pioneering spirit of Maxar Space Systems in pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in space technology. The sheer scale of JUPITER 3, with its 9 metric ton launch mass and 14 expansive solar panels, underscores the magnitude of this spacecraft, dwarfing conventional satellite dimensions.
“JUPITER 3 demonstrates that the Maxar 1300™ platform is the ideal platform to support any variety of high-bandwidth communications missions, including deep space missions like NASA’s PPE program, which is part of Gateway. Maxar continues to serve the GEO communications market and push the boundaries for what is possible, and JUPITER 3 shows that thinking in action.” — Chris Johnson, Maxar Space Systems CEO