T5 (satellite)

T5 (formerly DirecTV-5) is a dormant communications satellite launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan in May, 2002 to provide mainly Spanish language satellite television programs to DirecTV customers from the 119 degrees West longitudinal orbit. It was built by Space Systems/Loral, as part of its LS-1300 line. In May 2004, DIRECTV successfully launched DIRECTV 7S (later T7S), their second high powered spot beam. T7S is located at the 119 degree orbital slot. The satellite was renamed to T5 in 2017. [2]

T5 was originally known as Tempo 1, and was originally intended for satellite provider ASkyB, who later sold the satellites to PrimeStar in the process of going out of business. PrimeStar's other satellite, Tempo 2 (later DirecTV-6) was launched in 1997, while Tempo 1 was stored until the company and both satellites were purchased by DirecTV.[3] DirecTV eventually launched the Tempo 1 satellite after years of delays as the DirecTV-5 satellite in 2002.[4] In 2015, the satellite was renamed to T5, after AT&T purchased DirecTV and took over operations of the satellite fleet.

T5 is located at 109.8°W[5] and provided channels for the Puerto Rico market. Due to DirecTV’s decision to remove the 110° position from its fleet, T5 stopped broadcasting almost all of its channels sometime in 2019 and is currently dormant. Despite this, the satellite remains in geostationary orbit. The only channel currently being broadcast from T5 is a DirecTV info card channel, telling people to upgrade their equipment.