Artist's concept of DirecTV-1R satellite in orbit. Photo: Hughes

The DirecTV-1R television broadcast satellite has successfully entered service less than two months after being carried into space aboard first commercial flight of Sea Launch.

The Hughes Space and Communications-built satellite took over for the older DBS-1 spacecraft this month, relaying television and other programming to DirecTV's direct-to-home service subscribers.

DirecTV-1R orbits 22,300 miles above the Earth's equator at 101 degrees West longitude and is one of DirecTV's five high-power satellites.

DBS-1 is being moved to a orbital slot at 110 degrees West for use in beaming local TV channels to select cities.

DirecTV began offering local channels in New York and Los Angeles on November 29. Denver, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. channels were added in their markets on December 4. Over the coming months the company plans to offer local broadcast network channels via satellite to additional markets including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, Orlando-Daytona, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, Seattle, St. Louis and Tampa-St. Petersburg.

DirecTV has more than 7.8 million customers.