Thread: SIRIUS XM Announces SIRIUS FM-5 Satellite has Been Placed Into Service

Sirius XM Radio Inc. - SIRIUS XM Announces SIRIUS FM-5 Satellite has Been Placed Into Service

SIRIUS XM Announces SIRIUS FM-5 Satellite has Been Placed Into Service
New satellite increases broadcast power and delivers improved reception to SIRIUS subscribers

NEW YORK, Sept 09, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- SIRIUS XM Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) announced today that SIRIUS FM-5, the newest addition to the SIRIUS XM satellite fleet, was recently placed into service on the SIRIUS network. The new satellite, which was manufactured by Space Systems/Loral, provides improved signal penetration and reception to millions of SIRIUS subscribers nationwide.

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FM-5 is now fully operational and broadcasting SIRIUS XM programming and data services to SIRIUS radios in North America. The satellite launched June 30, was guided to its final orbit position, and has successfully completed all post-launch testing.

SIRIUS FM-5 is one of the world's most powerful communications satellites and is the first geostationary SIRIUS satellite, complementing the SIRIUS fleet of three non-geostationary satellites. SIRIUS FM-5's addition to the current SIRIUS fleet significantly increases the broadcast power of the total SIRIUS network. SIRIUS FM-5 is designed to provide more focused power in areas of peak population, such as metropolitan areas on the east and west coast, as well as significantly improving reception when driving under heavy foliage. Its location in a geostationary orbit position over North America (approximately above Texas, at 96 degrees west longitude) assures that home receivers can aim at a fixed point in the southern sky to receive a signal on a constant basis.

"For our SIRIUS subscribers, FM-5 brings significantly improved performance to their cars as well as their homes and offices, or wherever they use their SIRIUS radios," said Terry Smith, Chief Engineering Officer of SIRIUS XM Radio. "We expect FM-5 to provide exceptional service for many years to come, while improving the overall performance, reliability and longevity of our satellite fleet. We congratulate our engineering team on a successful launch and implementation."

The satellite was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard an International Launch Services (ILS) Proton.

zero point zero % diffrence for me so far. Still cuts out while passing under overpasses.