Mary-Louise Hoffman
Orbital Sciences has unveiled a new satellite platform the company built to carry up to 1,763 pounds of communications payload and support up to 8 kilowatts of electrical payload power.
The GEOStar-3 satcom infrastructure is designed for commercial fixed satellite services, direct broadcasting and high-throughput coverage applications, Orbital said Monday.
Christopher Richmond, senior vice president of Orbital’s communications satellite business unit, said the company builds technology to address payload requirements of customers in the medium-class satellite market.
GEOStar-3 features a hybrid electric propulsion system, is designed support dual-launch missions and is built to be in service for up to 15 years.
Orbital aims to launch the program’s spacecraft within 24 or 27 months.
