News Headline
Echostar IX/Telstar 13 multi-band satellite launched
NEW YORK: EchoStar IX/Telstar 13, a powerful multi-band satellite built for EchoStar Communications Corporation and Loral Skynet by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), was successfully launched. The satellite, to be positioned at 121 degrees West longitude, was sent into space from the Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned on the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, on a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket.
A spacedaily report says that as part of a unique satellite sharing arrangement, EchoStar will operate the Ku- and Ka-band payloads as EchoStar IX; Loral Skynet, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications, will initially own and operate the C-band payload as Telstar 13.
The report also adds that in July, Loral reached a definitive agreement to sell Telstar 13, along with five other North American telecommunications satellites to Intelsat, Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda.
EchoStar IX will join EchoStar’s current fleet of eight satellites that provide DISH Network customers with hundreds of all-digital television channels, including interactive TV services, sports programming, high definition television and international programming. The spacecraft’s Ku-band fixed satellite services (FSS) transponders are designed to enhance EchoStar’s current US DISH Network satellite TV service.
The report also adds that the spacecraft is also equipped with the first US commercial Ka-band spot-beam payloads. The successful launch of EchoStar IX brings EchoStar’s fleet to nine satellites, including three satellites previously built by SS/L.
Telstar 13’s 24 C-band FSS transponders operating at 36 Mhz will provide Skynet’s cable programming customers with coverage throughout North America, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Skynet’s current satellite serving cable programmers, Telstar 7, is operating nearby at 127 degrees West longitude. Together the satellites form a very attractive platform to cable programmers looking for the benefits of a strong neighborhood and restoration solutions.
“Building this satellite has been a tremendous success for all parties involved,” says SS/L president and COO Patrick DeWitt. “Our close relationships with EchoStar and Skynet have been an important part of SS/L’s success, and our shared commitment to quality remains our top priority,” Dewitt adds.
Built at Space Systems/Loral’s Palo Alto, California facility, EchoStar IX/Telstar 13 is based on SS/L’s space-proven 1300 geostationary satellite platform, which has an excellent record of reliable operation.
The 1300 is designed to achieve a long life, in this case 15 years, excellent station-keeping and orbital stability by using bipropellant propulsion and momentum-bias attitude control systems. A system of high-efficiency solar arrays and batteries provide uninterrupted electrical power. In all, SS/L satellites have amassed nearly 1,000 years of on-orbit service.
After this transaction, Loral Skynet will continue to operate an integrated fixed satellite and network services business using its fleet of five telecommunications satellites and its established VSAT/fiber global network infrastructure.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
