EchoStar XXI

EchoStar XXI
Mission typeCommunication
OperatorEchoStar Corporation
COSPAR ID2017-032A
SATCAT no.42749
Mission durationPlanned: 15+ years
Elapsed: 8 years, 12 days
Spacecraft properties
BusSSL 1300
ManufacturerSpace Systems Loral
Launch mass6,871 kilograms (15,148 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date8 June 2017, 03:45 (2017-06-08UTC03:45Z) UTC
RocketILS Proton Breeze M
Launch siteBaikonur Cosmodrome
ContractorInternational Launch Services
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeGeostationary
Longitude10.25° East
Perigee altitude35,784.4 kilometers (22,235.4 mi)
Apogee altitude35,801.8 kilometers (22,246.2 mi)
Inclination6.8 degrees
Period23.93 hours
Epoch22 July 2018, 15:03 UTC
Transponders
BandS-band
Coverage areaEurope

EchoStar XXI (formerly known as TerreStar 2) is a European communications satellite which is operated by Echostar Corporation. It was constructed by Space Systems/Loral, based on the SSL 1300 satellite bus, and carries S band transponders which will be used to provide 2 GHz mobile connectivity throughout Europe.

EchoStar XXI was launched at 03:45 UTC on June 8, 2017 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. This satellite was the heaviest commercial payload flown aboard a Russian booster at the time of its launch.

Before being launched, the satellite was known as TerreStar-2, a ground spare for TerreStar Networks' satellite-terrestrial telephone network.