Galaxy 3R / Anik E2R

Galaxy 3R [Boeing BSS]

Galaxy 3R, operated by PanAmSat Corporation, is used to provide video and telecommunications services throughout the United States. The satellite's Ku-band capacity can also be switched to provide coverage of Latin America.

The satellite is a version of the three-axis, body-stabilized Hughes HS-601 model built by Hughes Space and Communications Company (HSC) in El Segundo, Calif. It was launched on a Lockheed Martin Atlas-2A rocket Dec. 14, 1995, from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Galaxy III-R replaced the smaller, C-band-only Galaxy III spacecraft, a Hughes 376 model also built by HSC. Galaxy III-R carries 24 C-band transponders for coverage of the 50 United States, primarily for distribution of video programming. The 24 Ku-band transponders are used for telecommunications services and for direct-to-home television services. The coverage area of the Ku-band payload is switchable, so initially those transponders were used by Galaxy Latin America to deliver DIRECTV programming to Latin America and the Caribbean. With the deployment of Galaxy VIII-i in early 1998, Galaxy III-R's Ku-band coverage area was switched to the United States.

Galaxy IIIR satellite experienced an failure of its primary spacecraft control processor (SCP), which caused the satellite to automatically switch control to its back-up SCP on 21 April 2001. In January 2006 the secondary spacecraft control processor (SCP) failed, leding to decomission. of the satellite.