Developed by Boeing in conjunction with the Ukraine, Sea Launch uses a Zenit launcher and an ocean based platform that can be towed to the Equator where it can receive maxium benefit from the the Earth's rotation and enabling larger payloads to be launched.

Despite initial skeptism by many in the space industry, the first Sea Launch in March - complete with a dummy 5-ton payload - was an outstanding success, proving that Sea Launch is a viable commercial launcher which will earn much needed foreign currency for the Ukrainian government.

At the time of announcing its first commercial customer Sea Launch president Allen Ashby said, "we are delighted to have the DirecTV 1-R as the passenger for our first commercial launch." "Given DirecTV's role as the nation's leading digital television service provider and the potential for this satellite to expand and enhance their existing array of programming choices, this is a tremendous vote of confidence in our launch service capabilities," added Ashby.

Working together, HSC and DirecTV, both units of Hughes Electronics Corporation, developed DirecTV 1-R, a HS 601HP model that will deliver 30 percent more capacity than its predecessor, the HS 601. To be delivered to geosynchronous transfer orbit by Sea Launch under the provisions of a delivery-on-orbit contract, the new satellite will join the DBS-2 and DBS-3 satellites at the 101 degrees West longitude (WL) orbital slot.

"DirecTV 1-R will provide the extra insurance DirecTV needs to provide our subscribers with long-term, uninterrupted subscription entertainment services," said Eddy W. Hartenstein, president of DirecTV. "The extra capacity will also enable us to create additional revenue opportunities and provide new services to our subscribers, which will further strengthen our leadership position in the market."

DirecTV 1-R will strengthen in-orbit redundancy and provide DirecTV with more than 20 additional channels of Ku-band capacity above that which DirecTV uses today on DBS-1, which will be relocated to 110 degrees WL following the successful launch of DirecTV 1-R.

The Sea Launch concept is said to offer several added-value operational and performance benefits to launch customers such as DirecTV including increased launch range availability, reduced launch support infrastructure costs and the most direct route to geostationary transfer orbit.

Launched from the equator, the company's robust Zenit-3SL rocket can either carry additional mass or place a payload into a higher perigee, helping to achieve a longer satellite service capability.

The launch and orbital placement of DirecTV 1-R will complete the evolution of Sea Launch from a developmental program to a commercial launch services provider.

"We want Sea Launch to be the preferred heavy-lift launch service provider well into the next century -- and that can only be achieved through sustained performance," Ashby added. "If we can evolve and duplicate the outstanding levels of success that were achieved during our inaugural launch, we'll be well on our way."

Prior to the September launch, Sea Launch and HSC personnel will fuel and encapsulate the DirecTV 1-R payload at the Sea Launch Home Port in Long Beach. Once completed, the payload unit will be integrated with the Zenit-3SL aboard the Sea Launch assembly and command ship, Commander, and then transferred to the Odyssey launch platform for transport to the launch site at 154 degrees West longitude.

The Sea Launch partnership combines the resources of aerospace and maritime companies, including Boeing Commercial Space Company, Kent, Wash., (provides spacecraft integration and the payload fairings); Kvaerner Maritime a.s., of Oslo, Norway (the vessel builder); RSC Energia of Moscow, Russia (provides the Block-DM upper stage and its integration with the launch vehicle); and KB Yuzhnoye/PO Yuzhmash of Ukraine (provides the first two stages of the launch vehicle).