its customer set-top boxes, enabling them to receive the horizontally-aligned signals from the New Zealand spot beam. Accordingly, Sky was able to return to their original capacity allocation. Optus D2 Location: 152° east Launch date: 5 October 2007 Equipment: 24 active Ku band transponders (including sixteen 150W transponders and eight 44W transponders). Launch mass: 2375 kg D2 was successfully launched from the Guiana Space Centre by an Ariane 5 GS on 5 October 2007 at 22:02 UTC. Optus D2 replaced Optus B3, which had been in operation for 13 years at the time of D2's launch. D2 also carries a large number of Free To Air channels, many in languages other than English Optus is planning to decommission Optus D2 in 2023 as the satellite has reached end of life. Some broadcast users have started simulcasting their services on alternate satellites such as Intelsat 19. Optus D3 Location: 156° east Launch Date: 21 August 2009 Equipment: 32 Ku band transponders (consisting of twenty four 125 watt primary and eight 44 watt backup transponders) Launch mass: 2500 kg The third in the D series of Optus satellites was successfully launched into a geostationary transfer orbit on 21 August 2009 at 22:09 UTC by Arianespace using an Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite will be co-located with Optus C1 at 156° east. Optus sold 25% of the transponder capacity (6 out of 24) to Foxtel to provide High Definition programming as well as "new channels, expanded digital services and enhanced picture and sound quality". Optus 10 Location: 156° east Launch Date: 11 September 2014 Launch Site: Guiana Space Center Rocket: Ariane 5 ECA Manufacturer: Space Systems Loral (SSL) Bus: LS-1300 Possible Equipment (based on previous D-series): 32 Ku band transponders (consisting of twenty four 125 watt primary and eight 44 watt backup transponders) Launch mass: 3200 kg Regime: Geostationary "Optus 10", was awarded to Space Systems/Loral, and announced on 21 March 2011 in a press release by Optus CEO Paul O'Sullivan. The satellite will provide "high quality broadcast services to households, and two way voice and data communication services to areas in and around Australia and NZ", and "satellite services to Australia and NZ Government departments, premium companies and broadcasters including FOXTEL, ABC, SBS, Seven Network, Nine Network, Network Ten, Globecast Australia and Sky TV New Zealand.". References External links Satellite information and orbital