Some subscribers to XM Satellite Radio had their service disrupted Monday due to software problems, the company said. The problems began around noon, said XM spokesman Nathaniel Brown. The company did not provide an estimate of how many of its 8 million customers were affected. Brown said the company expected to fix the problem by Monday evening.
The XM-4 satellite will have 18 kilowatts of total power at the beginning of life on orbit. Specified for a 15-year lifespan, Sea Launch's accurate insertion into transfer orbit should provide additional years of service life. This is Sea Launch's fourth successful launch for XM Satellite Radio, completing previous missions in March 2001, May 2001, and February 2005. XM is America's number one satellite radio company with more than 7 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2006 lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: commercial-free music, premier sports, news, talk radio, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information. XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota, is available in more than 140 different vehicle models for 2006. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide.
Sea Launch Company today successfully delivered the XM-4 broadcast satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). Early data indicate the spacecraft is accurately positioned and in excellent condition.
A Zenit-3SL vehicle lifted off at 3:49 pm Pacific Standard Time (23:49 GMT) from the Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned at 154 degrees West Longitude in the equatorial Pacific. All systems performed nominally throughout the flight. The Block DM upper stage inserted the 5,193 kg (11,448 lbs.) spacecraft into geosynchronous transfer orbit, on its way to final orbital position of 115 degrees West Longitude. A ground station at Hartebeesthoek, near Pretoria, South Africa, acquired the first signal from the satellite in orbit.
The Sea Launch Company has successfully delivered the XM-4 broadcast satelliteinto geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). Early data indicate the spacecraft is accurately positioned and in excellent condition.