NSSDCA/COSPAR ID: 1998-075A
PANAMSAT 6B will provide direct-to-home television transmissions in South America. The satellite carried a 7-kilowatt payload consisting of 32 active Ku-band transponders powered by a combination of 105-watt and 140-watt traveling wave-tuve amplifiers. It also carried Hughes' xenon ion propulsion system, 'XIPS". Its solar arrays generated more than 8 kW of power through the use of dual-junction gallium arsenide solar cells, which provided a significant increase in power over silicon cells. The satellite was designed to provide a minimum of 15 years of service from its geostationary position at 43 degrees W.
Launch Date: 1998-12-22
Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44L
Launch Site: Kourou, French Guiana
Mass: 2102 kg
Nominal Power: 8000 W
Questions and comments about this spacecraft can be directed to: Coordinated Request and User Support Office