December 28 – The DirecTV 12 satellite was launched aboard a Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The satellite completes DirecTV’s phased expansion of high-definition television service to U.S. households. Built by Boeing, DirecTV 12 will allow the direct-to-home broadcasting firm to expand its HD capacity by 50 percent to 200 national HD channels and 1,500 local HD channels.

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The SSPI Satellite Timeline is the first interactive site on the Web to chronicle the rich and diverse history of the commercial satellite industry. Launched in October 2007 – the 50th anniversary of Sputnik – the Timeline is a learning tool for satellite professionals, students, the news media and the innovative companies that make up the industry.