Space Commerce

SiriusXM Commissions Maxar to Build Two New Satellites, SXM-11 and SXM-12

By Keith Cowing
Press Release
Maxar
December 2, 2022
Filed under , ,
SiriusXM Commissions Maxar to Build Two New Satellites, SXM-11 and SXM-12
SXM-11 and -12
Maxar

Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR) (TSX:MAXR) and SiriusXM (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced a new agreement commissioning Maxar to build and deliver two new geostationary communications satellites for SiriusXM.

The SXM-11 and -12 satellite orders increase the total number of spacecraft in development for SiriusXM by Maxar to four, following the 2021 agreement for the construction of SXM-9 and -10.

“This investment reaffirms our commitment to satellite content delivery systems and cutting-edge technology,” said Bridget Neville, SiriusXM’s Senior Vice President of Satellite and Terrestrial Engineering and Operations. “SXM-11 and -12, along with SXM-9 and -10, will allow us to innovate and improve our service offerings for subscribers and will extend the continuous and reliable delivery of our audio entertainment content.”

“This agreement, in combination with SXM-9 and -10 ordered last year, shows one of Maxar’s greatest strengths—the advantage of performance at scale,” said Chris Johnson, Maxar’s Senior Vice President of Space. “These satellites will provide more capability to SiriusXM’s fleet, including an expanded service area and higher service quality. We continue to push for new ways to expand capability for commercial geostationary customers, keeping our leadership in this market secure and growing.”

There are more than 150 million SiriusXM-equipped vehicles on the road today that rely on SiriusXM’s proprietary satellite network, which is also a key delivery mechanism for the company’s 360L platform. SiriusXM with 360L combines satellite and streaming to ensure the best possible coverage across the U.S. and Canada and the best customer experience. SiriusXM also offers a suite of satellite-delivered Marine and Aviation services that provide pilots and boaters important weather data and information directly to their cockpits.

SXM-11 and -12 will be twin high-powered digital audio radio satellites, built on Maxar’s proven 1300-class platform at the company’s manufacturing facilities in Palo Alto and San Jose, California. Maxar has been building satellites for SiriusXM for more than two decades, including the first-generation Sirius satellites launched in 2000; the second-generation Sirius satellites launched in 2009 and 2013; and the company’s current third-generation satellites, the first one of which started service in 2021. The delivery of SXM-11 and -12 will bring the number of Maxar-built spacecraft for SiriusXM to 13.

About Maxar

Maxar Technologies is a provider of comprehensive space solutions and secure, precise, geospatial intelligence. 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. 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, talk, news, comedy, entertainment and podcasts. SiriusXM offers the most extensive lineup of professional and college sports in audio. 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 arm, 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.

SpaceRef co-founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.