[Satellite Today – 5-28-08] Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications, announced May 28 that it delivered the EchoStar-11 satellite to the Sea Launch home port in Long Beach, Calif.
    EchoStar-11 is a direct broadcast satellite, which was built for an affiliate of Dish Network Corp. Launch is scheduled for later this summer, aboard a Zenit-3SL rocket from the Sea Launch Odyssey platform in the Pacific Ocean. The satellite will be the fifth SS/L built satellite in the Dish fleet.
    EchoStar-11 is based on SS/L’s 1300 platform. Following launch and in-orbit testing, the new satellite will support the expansion of Dish Network’s programming and services.
    The successful launch of the satellite is particularly important to EchoStar. The loss of the AMC-14 satellite earlier this year, which it had contracted all the capacity for, was a major blow to the operator.
    In separate news, SS/L announced May 27 that it has shipped ProtoStar-1 to Kourou, French Guiana, where it is scheduled to launch as early as June 24 aboard an Ariane 5.
     the ProtoStar-1 satellite, ProtoStar is targeting the needs of both emerging and existing direct-to-home operators in the Asian market as well as other broadband communication needs in the region. ProtoStar-1 is based on SS/L’s 1300 spacecraft bus and will operate in both Ku-band and C-band and is expected to provide more than 15 years of service.