Elon Musk's spacecraft and satellite communications company, SpaceX, launched its Falcon Heavy rocket July 28 at 11:04 p.m. from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The rocket is sending a communications satellite, Jupiter 3, made by Hughes Communications, into orbit. Hughes is owned by EchoStar (SATS) -).
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Hughes describes the Jupiter 3 as the next generation Ultra High Density Satellite (UHDS).
"Jupiter 3 is expected to be the world’s largest commercial communications satellite when it launches," Hughes wrote on its website.
"Jupiter 3 will power service plans with higher download speeds, ushering in a new era of even higher speed services for consumers outside the reach of cable and fiber," it continued. "Jupiter 3 will drive the continued growth of HughesNet across the Americas. It will also support in-flight Wi-Fi, maritime connections, enterprise networks, backhaul for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), and Community Wi-Fi solutions."
Billionaire Elon Musk, who also owns electric vehicle company Tesla, (TSLA) -), uses SpaceX to launch Starlink , a constellation of satellites that provides internet access to more than 60 countries, as well.
SpaceX explains the Falcon Heavy rocket's components and capabilities.
"Falcon Heavy is composed of three reusable Falcon 9 nine-engine cores whose 27 Merlin engines together generate more than 5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, equal to approximately eighteen 747 aircraft," it wrote on its website. "As one of the world’s most powerful operational rockets, Falcon Heavy can lift nearly 64 metric tons (141,000 lbs) to orbit."
Hughes Has Been in the Business For Years
Hughes developed its first high-speed satellite internet service, DirecPC, in the 1990s. In 2002, it was renamed Direcway. With the company's first offering of broadband satellite Internet, it was rebranded as HughesNet in 2012.
It describes a bit of its history and mission to serve unserved communities on its website.
We've come a long way since the mid-1990s, when the only way to access the internet was to use dial-up modems connected over telephone lines. Harnessing our company spirit of continuous innovation, in 1996, Hughes engineers applied satellite technology to transmit large files, drastically reducing internet download times from over an hour down to just 90 seconds.
Connecting millions of people across the Americas, HughesNet consistently ranks as the Best Satellite Internet Service Provider by U.S. News & World Report. Beyond the Americas, satellite network operators worldwide use the Hughes JUPITER™ System to connect millions of more people to the internet – from Indonesia to Algeria and India to Argentina.
Satellite internet is a lifeline for millions of people all over the world living beyond the reach of fiber or cable. It is available everywhere, right now, helping people check emails, stay in touch with friends and family, share photos, attend classes, listen to music, explore interests, catch up on all the latest news, access critical health information, run their businesses and so much more. With just a VSAT (very small aperture system) and a clear view of the sky, connection becomes possible – whether for homes, small businesses or communities in places where cable and fiber service is not available. According to ABI Research, by 2026, the global market opportunity for satellite services is expected to grow to 331 million premises – that equates to an estimated 1.3 billion people!
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