DirecTV-10

DirecTV-10 is a Boeing model 702 direct broadcast satellite that provides high definition television (HDTV) to DirecTV subscribers in North America. It was launched by International Launch Services on July 7, 2007 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard an Enhanced Proton Breeze-M rocket. After about two months of in-orbit testing, the satellite was moved to its operating position at 103.0° west longitude. This was the third DirecTV satellite launched on a Proton rocket. Prior launches include DirecTV-8, which was launched on May 22, 2005, and DirecTV-5, which was launched on May 7, 2002.

DirecTV contracted with Boeing in 2004 to build three identical 702 model satellites — DirecTV-10, 11 and 12. DirecTV-11 was launched on March 19, 2008 and DirecTV-12 was launched on December 29, 2009. The satellites were purchased to significantly increase the number of national and local HDTV channels DirecTV offers.

Technology

DirecTV-10 transmits MPEG-4 encoded signals, a compression standard which is more efficient than MPEG-2 which DirecTV uses for standard definition and a small number of HD channels. The use of MPEG-4 compression allows the satellite to carry significantly more channels than it could using MPEG-2 compression. Receiving signals from DirecTV-10 requires an advanced receiver capable of decoding MPEG-4 signals, such as the H21 or HR21, and a 5-LNB K_u/K_a dish, such as the AT-9 "Sidecar". These receivers also receive MPEG-2 channels and offer interactive services.