36131 - DIRECTV 12

DirecTV 12, a United States commercial communications satellite, was launched on a Proton rocket with a Breeze M upper stage from Baikonur on 29 December 2009 at 00:22 UT. This geosynchronous satellite is stationed at 102.8 degrees W longitude and provides high-definition direct-to-home programming to customers in the United States. The 5900 kg DirecTV 12 satellite carries 131 Ka-band transponders and has an expected operational lifetime of 15 years.

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2009-12-29
Launch Vehicle: Proton
Launch Site: Tyuratam (Baikonur Cosmodrome), Kazakhstan