ILS Successfully Launches Sirius FM-6 Satellite

By Doug Lung
published

International Launch Services successfully carried the Sirius FM-6 satellite into orbit on an ILS Proton Breeze M launch vehicle. It was launched from Pad 39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 18:00 GMT on Oct. 25.

Sirius FM-6 uses an X-band uplink and an S-band downlink to deliver digital audio radio service. It has approximately 20 kW end-of-life power and an anticipated service life of 15 years. The SSL-built device is one of the most powerful satellites built today. It will be located at 116.5 degrees west longitude.

“For over a decade, SiriusXM has entrusted ILS Proton to deliver their satellites into orbit,” said Phil Slack, president of ILS. “It is a tremendous honor for ILS to have been a part of the satellite radio industry since 2000, with the launch of SiriusXM’s first generation fleet on ILS Proton within a 5 month period. Thank you to all of the teams that made this successful launch possible, including SiriusXM, SSL, Khrunichev, and ILS.” This was the sixth satellite launched by ILS Proton for SiriusXM and the 27th SSL 1300 satellite launched.

From ILS press release ILS Proton Successfully Launches the Sirius FM-6 Satellite for Sirius XM Radio.

Doug Lung
Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.