In 1989, the first communications satellite, Marcopolo I, for the first television direct broadcast service in the United Kingdom was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on the first US commercial satellite rocket, a Delta booster. A similar satellite, Marcopolo II was launched on 17 Aug 1990. Each satellite was equipped with three 110-watt channels, each having enough power to be received by very small (35cm/13.5-in diam.), low-cost receiving dishes. Their footprint covered the U.K. The satellites were powered by large area solar cells, and had nickel-cadmium cells as back-up while the Earth eclipsed the Sun.«