New Direct TV Sat to launch soon.

**silversurfer** · 04-14-2004 08:49 AM

On April 9th Sea launch made it to step 2. Payload rollout from the payload processing facility to the Sea Launch Commander.....

Click here for some cool photos
http://www.sea-launch.com/mission_di...d_rollout.html

**silversurfer** · 04-19-2004 08:20 AM

According to the
Sea Launch

page as of the 15th of April the rocket for the satellite has been transferred from the ship to the platform.

**silversurfer** · 04-19-2004 03:20 PM

The Sea Launch web page now indicates that on April 16 the rocket was rolled out and erected on launch pad for final tests. On April 18 we had departure of the Odyssey launch platform....We are making progress

**silversurfer** · 04-21-2004 07:05 AM

According to the Sea Launch web page the Sea Launch commander has departed as of today....

**silversurfer** · 04-26-2004 10:47 AM

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/sealaunch-04c.html

Sea Launch is preparing to launch the DIRECTV 7S broadcast satellite for DIRECTV, Inc., on May 4, at the opening of a two-hour launch window, at 5:22 am PDT (12:22:00 GMT).

**AaRdVarK** · 04-26-2004 12:35 PM

I don't know why I find this launch so fascinating, but I do. Probably because they've got updates going so we can see what happens every step of the way leading up to it.

My HDTivo purchase is hinging on what they do with all this new bandwidth. Here's hoping it goes well!

**wbuffetta** · 04-26-2004 01:08 PM

The New Satellite Is For Spot Beaming Local Channels Not HD. It Will Help D* To Cover 96% Of The Country With Their Local Stations.

**rad** · 04-26-2004 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by wbuffetta

The New Satellite Is For Spot Beaming Local Channels Not HD. It Will Help D* To Cover 96% Of The Country With Their Local Stations.

But what we've been lead to believe is that this will allow for some LIL's that are on 101 to be moved to the spots, freeing up bandwidth for some more HD programming. Of course with D* you won't know for sure until you see the press release.

**AaRdVarK** · 04-26-2004 01:19 PM

Right. There are several issues though. 101 is broadcasting locals to several markets without using spot beams, which is a huge waste of their bandwidth. The plan is that this satellite will allow them to move these locals to spot beams on 119. Of course, that will require any subscribers in those areas with a round dish to get a new dish. D* had made it clear to them at some point that they would need the dish, but who knows what they will actually do when their customers start raising hell about it.

That free space on 101 could pick up a few HD channels for sure or it could also pick up a bunch of crappy SD stations they don't carry.