Posted: Mon, Dec 12, 2005, 8:48 AM ET (1348 GMT)

Sea Launch has won a contract to launch a large broadband data communications satellite, the multinational venture announced last week. Sea Launch will launch the Spaceway 3 satellite for Hughes Network Systems (HNS) in early 2007 on a Zenit 3SL. Spaceway 3, a Boeing 702 model communications satellite, will weigh more than 6,000 kilograms at launch. The satellite was originally intended to be part of a series of satellites that would provide high-speed Internet communications worldwide, but HNS's former parent DirecTV, elected to modify the first two satellites, launched earlier this year, to provide high-definition television services. Spaceway 3 will serve North America. Boeing, the managing partner of Sea Launch, said that the contract is the eighth this year for the venture, which carried out four launches in 2005.