DirecTV 7S Delayed Until 2004

[Gregg Lengling]

This week, DirecTV notified the Federal Communications Commission that its future spot-beam satellite - DirecTV 7S - will fly later than its original launch date.

DirecTV had expected to launch the satellite later this year. However, delays in the assembly and testing process experienced by the satellite manufacturer, and to a lesser extent some problems with the primary launch vehicle, have pushed the launch date out until no earlier than mid-February 2004, the company told the FCC.

DirecTV 7S is a satellite key to the company's expansion of local TV packages.