EchoStar XVII
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EchoStar XVII was built by Space Systems/Loral, and is based on the LS-1300 satellite bus. It measures 8.0 metres (26.2 ft) by 3.2 metres (10 ft) by 3.1 metres (10 ft), with 26.07-meter (85.5 ft) solar arrays which were deployed after launch, and generates a minimum of 16.1 kilowatts of power. The spacecraft had a mass at liftoff of 6,100 kilograms (13,400 lb), and is expected to operate for fifteen years. It carries sixty Ka band (NATO K band) transponders which is used to cover North America.
EchoStar XVII was launched by Arianespace, using an Ariane 5ECA carrier rocket flying from ELA-3 at Kourou. The spacecraft was launched at 21:36 UTC on 5 July 2012. The MSG-3 weather satellite was launched aboard the same rocket, mounted below EchoStar XVII, which was atop a Sylda 5 adaptor. The launch successfully placed both satellites into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. EchoStar XVII used its own propulsion system to manoeuvre into a geostationary orbit.