EchoStar XVI

EchoStar 16 ( EchoStar XVI) is a commercial communications satellite of the American EchoStar Corporation.

He was taken on November 20, 2012 at 18:31 UTC clock with a Proton-M/Bris-M-Trägerrakete from the Baikonur launch site in a geostationary orbit. The satellite was separated nine hours and 12 minutes after the start of the rocket. The contract for the start was concluded before the U.S. operator EchoStar and the company International Launch Services (ILS ).

The three -axis stabilized satellite is equipped with 32 Ku- band transponders, four large satellite dishes and other antennas and will supply 61.5 ° West of the United States with television programs ( Direct-To -Home services) on the position. It was built based on the LS -1300 satellite bus of Space Systems / Loral and has a design life of 15 years.

In addition, located on board the satellite, a silicon wafer of the artist Trevor Paglen in a golden case. On her 100 pictures of people and nature are etched, the " The last pictures " are part of the project. After consultation with scientists and other experts selected Paglen images from our modern society, which are now practically forever orbiting the Earth.