how exactly do major televison corporations get their satelites into space. I see constant references from commercials and such that they have communications sattelites broadcasting their media all over the world, so do they have their own launchpads or does NASA give them a piggyback?
or do they just have one BIG one?
They pay for payload space on US, European, Japanese or Russian rockets. Even ham radio clubs have put satellites into orbit buy buying payload space.
The European Ariane rocket launched two telecommunications satellites only last month (and without blowing up). Here’s a news story: http://www.spacedaily.com/2003/030410000343.s0nummb5.html
Generally, the shuttles don’t go high enough for geostationary satellites…