imported>KJRehberg: Spaceway-1 exceeded its design life prior to failure

2025-02-11T17:12:31Z

Spaceway-1 exceeded its design life prior to failure

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{{Use American English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}

The '''Spaceway''' system was originally envisioned as a global [[Ka band|Ka-band]] communications system by [[Hughes Electronics]].<ref name="spaceway-report" /><ref name="metcalfe-19961028" /> When the project to build the system was taken over by [[Hughes Network Systems]],<ref name="hughes-proposal" /> a subsidiary of Hughes Electronics, it was transformed into a phased deployment initially only launching a North American satellite system. This is in comparison to other more ambitious systems such as [[Teledesic]]<ref name="teledesic" /> and [[Astrolink]]<ref name="astrolink" /> which retained their full global nature and which subsequently failed to complete their systems. Hughes Network Systems working with Hughes Electronics subsidiary [[Hughes Space and Communications]] (and subsequently sold to Boeing and called [[Boeing Satellite Development Center|Boeing Satellite Systems]] and later the [[Boeing Satellite Development Center]])<ref name="boeing.com" /> completed and built the North American Spaceway system meant to provide [[Internet access|broadband]] capabilities of up to 512 kbit/s, 2 Mbit/s, and 16 Mbit/s uplink data communication rates<ref name="spaceway-nowfuture" /> with fixed Ka-band satellite terminal antennas sized as small as {{convert|74|cm}}.<ref name="spaceway-nowfuture" /> The broadband Spaceway system was standardized by [[Telecommunications Industry Association]]<ref name="tia" /> and [[ETSI|European Telecommunications Standards Institute]] (ETSI) as the [[Regenerative Satellite Mesh – A|Regenerative Satellite Mesh - A Air Interface]].<ref name="etsi.org"/>

After [[News Corp (2013–present)|News Corp]] purchased a controlling interest in [[Hughes Electronics]], the company sold off its controlling interest in [[Hughes Network Systems]] but retained [[Spaceway-1]] and [[Spaceway-2]] for use in the [[DirecTV]] satellite television subsidiary of Hughes Electronics.<ref name="post-2004-12-07" /> Boeing retrofitted the first two satellites for [[bent pipe]] Ka-band communications for use in [[high-definition television]] and disabled the regenerative on-board processing of the original system that was to be used for broadband satellite communications.<ref name="sec.gov" />

Despite statements to the contrary in the system's initial filings with the [[Federal Communications Commission]], none of the three satellites have [[Inter-satellite service|inter-satellite links]] connecting the satellites directly with each other in space.<ref name="boeing.com"/>

[[Spaceway-1]], [[Spaceway-2]] and [[Spaceway-3]] have been launched and [[Hughes Network Systems]] had an option to purchase and have Boeing build Spaceway-4.<ref name="sec.gov" />

[[Spaceway-1]], after exceeding its design life by two and a half years, was decommissioned in February 2020 after suffering extensive thermal damage to its batteries in December 2019, forcing the satellite to be moved to a graveyard orbit to prevent the risk of it exploding.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/directvs-defunct-spaceway-1-reaches-high-graveyard-orbit-in-one-piece/|title=DirecTV's defunct Spaceway-1 reaches high graveyard orbit in one piece|first=Caleb|last=Henry|date=2020-02-14|website=SpaceNews|access-date=19 February 2020}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="astrolink">
{{cite web
|url=https://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed-martin/eo/documents/annual-reports/2002-annual-report.pdf
|title=2002 Annual Report
|publisher=Lockheed Martin Corporation
|access-date=2006-06-14
|url-status=live
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105144213/https://lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed-martin/eo/documents/annual-reports/2002-annual-report.pdf
|archive-date=2022-01-05
}}
</ref>

<ref name="boeing.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/factsheets/702/spaceway/spaceway.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619122729/http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/factsheets/702/spaceway/spaceway.html|url-status=dead|title=Integrated Defense Systems - SPACEWAY North America|archive-date=June 19, 2006 |publisher=Boeing}}</ref>

<ref name="etsi.org">{{cite web |title=Satellite Earth Stations and Systems (SES); Regenerative Satellite Mesh - A (RSM-A) air interface; Physical layer specification; Part 1: General description |url=https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_ts/102100_102199/10218801/01.01.01_60/ts_10218801v010101p.pdf |website=ETSI |publisher=European Telecommunications Standards Institute |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229164148/http://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_ts/102100_102199/10218801/01.01.01_60/ts_10218801v010101p.pdf |archive-date=29 December 2013 |date=2004 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="hughes-proposal">{{Cite web |url=http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insmt-gst.nsf/vwapj/hughesapplication1.pdf/$FILE/hughesapplication1.pdf |title=Response to Call Proposal of Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. to Launch and Operate the SPACEWAY™ GSO FSS Satellite System at 107.3º West Longitude orbital position |access-date=14 June 2006 |archive-date=29 March 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050329011343/http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insmt-gst.nsf/vwapj/hughesapplication1.pdf/$FILE/hughesapplication1.pdf |url-status=dead |date=5 November 2001 |publisher=Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. }}</ref>

<ref name="metcalfe-19961028">{{cite web|url=http://www.infoworld.com/cgi-bin/displayNew.pl?%2Fmetcalfe%2Fbm102896.htm|title=Hughes satellite gives telcos, TV companies needed 'net competition |last1=Metcalfe |first1=Bob |date=28 October 1996 |access-date=2006-06-14|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041220203136/http://www.infoworld.com/cgi-bin/displayNew.pl?%2Fmetcalfe%2Fbm102896.htm|archive-date=2004-12-20}}</ref>

<ref name="post-2004-12-07">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45648-2004Dec7.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=... And Another Thing|first=Steven|last=Pearlstein|date=2004-12-08|accessdate=2010-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109022418/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45648-2004Dec7.html|archive-date=2012-11-09 |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="sec.gov">{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1345840/000119312506026457/ds1a.htm|title=Amendment No. 4 to Form S-1|publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422080007/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1345840/000119312506026457/ds1a.htm |archive-date=2016-04-22 |url-status=live |date=2006-02-10 }} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

<ref name="spaceway-report">{{cite conference|title=Spaceway: Providing affordable and versatile communication solutions|last=Fitzpatrick|first=E.J.|bibcode=1995prex.meet...49F |conference=19th NASA Propagation Experimenters Meeting (NAPEX 19) and the 7th Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) Propagation Studies Workshop (APSW 7) |date=August 1995 }}</ref>

<ref name="spaceway-nowfuture">{{cite conference |last1=Whitefield |first1=David |last2=Gopal |first2=Rajeev |last3=Arnold |first3=Steven |title=Spaceway now and in the Future: On-Board IP Packet Switching Satellte Communication Network |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/SPACEWAYTodayandTomorrow.pdf |publisher=Hughes Network Systems, LLC |access-date=2022-04-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415152453/https://federalnewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/SPACEWAYTodayandTomorrow.pdf |archive-date=2022-04-15 |page=2 |doi=10.1109/MILCOM.2006.302229 |date=October 2006 |url-status=live |conference=MILCOM 2006 - 2006 IEEE Military Communications conference |location=Germantown, MD}}</ref>

<ref name="teledesic">
{{cite press release
| last = Wolfenbarger
| first = Todd
| date = 30 September 2002
| title = Teledesic Suspends Work Under Satellite Contract
| url = http://www.teledesic.com/newsroom/articles/10-01-2002.html
| location = Bellevue, Washington
| publisher = Teledesic LLC
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20021002112448/http://www.teledesic.com/newsroom/articles/10-01-2002.html
| archive-date = 2 October 2002
| url-status = live
}}
</ref>

<ref name="tia">{{cite web |title=TIA 2004 Standards & Technology Annual Report (STAR) |url=http://standards.tiaonline.org//standards/about/documents/star2004.pdf |publisher=Telecommunications Industry Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210005458/http://standards.tiaonline.org/standards/about/documents/star2004.pdf |archive-date=2021-12-10 |date=2006-10-08 |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

== References ==
* {{cite web|url=http://www.hughes.com/HUGHES/Rooms/DisplayPages/LayoutInitial?Container=com.webridge.entity.Entity%5BOID%5B247EE93EA910FC4882B3105E9AD73791%5D%5D|title=SPACEWAY Technical Specifications
|publisher=Hughes Network Systems|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061030031717/http://www.hughes.com/HUGHES/Rooms/DisplayPages/LayoutInitial?Container=com.webridge.entity.Entity%5BOID%5B247EE93EA910FC4882B3105E9AD73791%5D%5D|archive-date=2006-10-30}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140314031302/http://www.hughes.com/technologies/satellite-platforms/spaceway-3-1 Spaceway 3]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060619122729/http://boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/factsheets/702/spaceway/spaceway.html Boeing's Original Spaceway Specification and Picture]

[[Category:Communications satellites]]

Spaceway - Revision history

imported>KJRehberg: Spaceway-1 exceeded its design life prior to failure