SiriusXM’s New SXM-8 Satellite, Built by Maxar, Completes In-Orbit Testing, Now Ready for Service
Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR) (TSX:MAXR) and SiriusXM (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced today that the SXM-8 satellite has completed in-orbit testing and has been handed over to SiriusXM. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the satellite into space on June 6, 2021, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
SXM-8 is the ninth high-powered, digital, audio radio satellite built by Maxar for SiriusXM. Built on Maxar’s 1300-class platform and designed to provide more than 15 years of service, SXM-8 is more than 27 feet tall and weighed nearly 7,000 kg at launch. SXM-8 has a large, mesh, unfurlable reflector almost 30 feet in diameter that will allow SiriusXM programming to reach its radios, including those in moving vehicles.
“We are proud of our long-standing relationship with SiriusXM and excited to see SXM-8 ready for service to bring entertainment to millions of SiriusXM subscribers,” said Chris Johnson, Maxar’s Senior Vice President of Space Programs Delivery. “The entire Maxar team is committed to excellence, and playing a role in the success of our customers’ missions is what drives us every day.”
“We are committed to enhancing our satellite fleet and ability to deliver the best audio entertainment, traffic, weather, data and information services for years to come,” said Bridget Neville, SiriusXM’s Senior Vice President of Satellite and Repeater Systems Engineering and Operations. “We congratulate our engineering team, Maxar and SpaceX on a successful launch and commissioning.”
SXM-8 will provide continuous, reliable delivery of SiriusXM’s audio entertainment and information services to consumers in the United States and will expand SiriusXM’s coverage area in Canada and the Caribbean. SXM-8 will extend the health of SiriusXM’s satellite fleet and its satellite-delivered services through at least 2036.
About Maxar
Maxar is a trusted partner and innovator in Earth Intelligence and Space Infrastructure. We deliver disruptive value to government and commercial customers to help them monitor, understand and navigate our changing planet; deliver global broadband communications; and explore and advance the use of space. Our unique approach combines decades of deep mission understanding and a proven commercial and defense foundation to deploy solutions and deliver insights with unrivaled speed, scale and cost-effectiveness. Maxar’s 4,400 team members in over 20 global locations are inspired to harness the potential of space to help our customers create a better world. Maxar trades on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange as MAXR. For more information, visit www.maxar.com.
About SiriusXM
Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is the leading audio entertainment company in North America, and the premier programmer and platform for subscription and digital advertising-supported audio products. SiriusXM’s platforms collectively reach approximately 150 million listeners, the largest digital audio audience across paid and free tiers in North America, and deliver music, sports, talk, news, comedy, entertainment and podcasts. Pandora, a subsidiary of SiriusXM, is the largest ad-supported audio entertainment streaming service in the U.S. SiriusXM’s subsidiaries Stitcher, Simplecast and AdsWizz make it a leader in podcast hosting, production, distribution, analytics and monetization. The Company’s advertising sales organization, which operates as SXM Media, leverages its scale, cross-platform sales organization and ad tech capabilities to deliver results for audio creators and advertisers. SiriusXM, through Sirius XM Canada Holdings, Inc., also offers satellite radio and audio entertainment in Canada. In addition to its audio entertainment businesses, SiriusXM offers connected vehicle services to automakers. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com.
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