The EchoStar 21 satellite prior to launch. Photo: SSL.

EchoStar has successfully completed the in-orbit testing of the recently launched EchoStar 21 satellite. The company has also completed the handover of the satellite from manufacturer Space Systems Loral (SSL) to EchoStar’s satellite operations team, which manages flight operations via EchoStar 21’s primary satellite Earth station located in Griesheim, Germany and a secondary station in Rambouillet, France.

Located in Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) at 10.25 degrees east longitude, EchoStar 21 carries an S-band Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) payload that will enable EchoStar subsidiary EchoStar Mobile to provide mobile connectivity for small and medium-sized enterprises, large corporations and government agencies throughout Europe.

“The capacity that EchoStar 21 will provide to the EchoStar Mobile satellite-based network will enable reliable, IP-based MSS connectivity for voice and data throughout Europe, including all 28 members of the European Union (EU),” said Anders Johnson, executive director of EchoStar Mobile and president of EchoStar Satellite Services.

With the completion of in-orbit testing of the satellite, EchoStar Mobile and EchoStar subsidiary Hughes Network Systems Europe have begun the process of end-to-end integration of the satellite and terrestrial network. EchoStar Mobile is scheduled to launch commercial services across the EU upon completion of this integration, scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2017.

EchoStar 21 was launched on an International Launch Services (ILS) Proton Breeze M launch vehicle from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on June 8. With the launch of EchoStar 21, the EchoStar fleet now numbers 26 owned, leased and managed satellites.