Hispasat 30W-6

Launch data:

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• HISPASAT 30W-6 is a Spanish-owned, US-built commercial communications satellite designed to relay video, data and broadband signals across the Americas, Europe and North Africa. HISPASAT 30W-6 utilizes 40 Ku-band transponders to focus on two coverage areas in Europe and North Africa, and in the Americas, stretching from Canada to Patagonia. Ten C-band transponders will support communications services in the southern United States, the Caribbean and South America. HISPASAT 30W-6 also adds Ka-band capacity to the company′s portfolio, carrying seven high-throughput beams covering Spain, Portugal, other regions in Europe, plus North Africa. The Ka-band payload will distribute Internet connectivity to rural areas in Spain and Morocco through a partnership between Hispasat and Eurona Wireless Telecom, a Spanish communications company.

Mission details:

• On Mar 6, 2018 SpaceX carried out the 50th Falcon 9 launch, placing the Hispasat 30W-6 communications satellite into a subsynchronous transfer orbit. The 6092 kg satellite carries a C/Ku/Ka-band communications payload for the Spanish telecom operator Hispasat, and was built by Maxar SSL/MDA (former Loral).
• Attached to the Hispasat satellite was a small subsatellite, PODSAT, which was ejected after orbit insertion. PODSAT is a DARPA-sponsored project built by NovaWurks in collaboration with SSL/MDA, consisting of standardized ′satlets′ like the SIMPL payload deployed from the ISS last year. The presence of PODSAT was not announced prior to launch.

External links:

• Hispasat: Satellite Information
• Satellite tracking (n2ya.com): Real time satellite tracking