SiriusXM announced its SXM-9 satellite has completed in-orbit testing and is now fully operational.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the satellite on Dec. 5. Built by Maxar Space Systems using its Maxar 1300 platform, SXM-9 is more than 27 feet tall and approximately 100 feet long with its solar arrays deployed. At launch, it weighed around 6,400 kg. The satellite features an S-band reflector antenna supplied by L3Harris.
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In December, the company announced a renewed emphasis on in-car listening after previously focusing on streaming. SiriusXM said it reaches approximately 160 million equipped vehicles.
Subscribers likely won’t notice any difference while listening on the road but the media provider stated the satellite strengthens its coverage across the contiguous U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada.

Bridget Neville, SiriusXM’s senior vice president and general manager of signal distribution engineering, said in a statement that the launch is expected to enhance the health of its satellite fleet for the foreseeable future. The company’s fleet includes multiple active satellites as well as an in-orbit spare.
SiriusXM plans to launch its SXM-10 satellite later this year, with SXM-11 and SXM-12 in development, though their launch timelines are yet to be determined.