TAMPA, Fla. — Echostar said Nov. 22 that Maxar Technologies is providing compensation for production issues that have delayed the launch of its Jupiter 3 satellite to at least the first half of 2023.
The satellite operator said Maxar is “providing relief on future payments” under an amended contract, which also “expands EchoStar’s recourse” if there are more delays for a satellite originally slated to launch in 2021.
Financial details were not disclosed.
Echostar recently said capacity constraints contributed to a 1.4% year-on-year fall in revenues for the three months to the end of September to just shy of $500 million.
Jupiter-3 is due to provide around 500 gigabit-per-second of capacity over North and South America — more than double the capacity of Jupiter-2 that launched in 2017.
EchoStar ordered Jupiter-3 from Maxar in 2017 and the satellite has lined up a launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
However, production has been bogged down by pandemic-related supply chain issues that have also slowed other manufacturers of satellites bound for geostationary orbit.
Jupiter-3 is currently undergoing final integration in preparation for performance tests that need to be completed before it is shipped to the launchpad.
