Hughes Network Systems, a subsidiary of EchoStar, has announced that its JUPITER™ 3 satellite has arrived in Cape Canaveral, FL, in preparation for its upcoming launch. The satellite, also known as EchoStar XXIV, was built by Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, CA, and is designed to provide high-speed connectivity to customers in North and South America. Last night, the satellite was carefully loaded onto an Antonov aircraft and transported to the U.S. Space Coast, where it will undergo final preparations before being launched into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
EchoStar CEO, Hamid Akhavan, expressed excitement about the launch, stating, “As the leading provider of satellite internet to rural customers across the Americas, we are proud to begin a new era of connectivity with the launch of JUPITER 3.” The satellite will double the capacity of EchoStar’s fleet, providing an additional 500 Gbps and enabling the company to serve more customers in areas where cable and fiber connections are not available. This will allow customers to work from home, study online, play games, engage in their communities, and stay connected with loved ones.
Once fully deployed, JUPITER 3 will be the largest commercial communications satellite ever built, with a wingspan comparable to that of a commercial airliner. Hughes, a subsidiary of EchoStar, plans to enhance its HughesNet® offerings in the U.S. and Latin America with increased broadband capacity and higher speed plans, including speeds up to 100 Mbps. The company will also introduce higher speed HughesNet Fusion® plans, which combine satellite and wireless technologies for a faster and more responsive internet service.
Akhavan highlighted Hughes’ commitment to advancing its service offerings, stating, “Since inventing satellite internet and bringing broadband connectivity to remote and rural customers, Hughes has continued to improve our offerings with more capacity, higher speeds, and a better online experience.” JUPITER 3 represents the next step in this progression, bringing customers more data and higher speeds.
In addition to providing broadband connectivity, JUPITER 3 will also support applications such as in-flight Wi-Fi, enterprise networking, and cellular backhaul for mobile network operators. With its dense, high-throughput capacity, the satellite will enable a range of advanced services across the Americas.
