March 31, 2015 — DIRECTV 15, the most powerful US broadcast satellite, has left Airbus Defence and Space’s cleanrooms in Toulouse (France). It will now be shipped to Kourou for launch by Ariane 5 in May 2015.
DIRECTV 15 is based on the highly reliable Eurostar E3000 platform. The spacecraft’s launch mass is 6,200 kg and it will have an end of life power of 18 kW, featuring a record breaking number of radio-frequency power amplifiers (150+). DIRECTV 15 will provide additional digital television entertainment services for more than 20 million DIRECTV customers in the United States.
