DISH files SEC form 8-K with AMC-14 Comments

[K9SAT]

This is good news and what I have been saying all along as it shouldn't be all doom and gloom for the bird. What we do now now "officially" is that the bird is in great health and responding to commands, although more testing will be needed. We also know that the bird is in a stable orbit controlled by Boeing. Now, we wait for lunar cycles and to see what the engineers to come up with.

Now with that said, I'm only speculating, It sounds like the insurance isn't covering the launch because the bird is in perfectly working order, or They are working out a deal for lost life of the bird with the insurance, or they are honoring their agreement at a loss, or they dont want their insurance to go up! Which ever one its good news that AMC 14 may have some life left in it!

[Smith, P.]

Well either way lets all hope that they use better engines on all of their next planed launches. I hope to see them use U.S. made engines instead of 3rd party stuff but again they need to have back up engines installed or something..

I see you still complain about foreigners, but lets face the facts:

"To date, Proton has proven no more or less reliable than Briz M.

The Briz M upper stage has flown atop 26 Proton launch vehicles (22 Proton M and 4 Proton K). Four of the launches failed. Two of the failures involved Proton (one stage 2, one stage 1/2). Two involved Briz M.

By comparison, the Ariane 5G series has flown 24 times to date and suffered three failures. One of those failures involved the upper storable propellant stage. Zenit 3SL has flown 25 times and failed three times, including one Block DMSL upper stage failure. Atlas V has flown 13 times and suffered one upper stage failure. Ariane 5 ECA has flown a dozen times with one failure of the core stage engine.

The old Proton K/DM-2M system flew 42 times and failed twice. Both failures involved the Block DM-2M upper stage.

Such is the state of the world's premiere commercial GTO launchers.

-
Ed Kyle

".

I wouldn't find any more reliable source of such vehicle.

[rglore]

I'm curious to here how long it will take to get AMC14 to it's proper orbit using it's own power.

Once they start the engines, not long. The launch vehicle needed another two minutes to get to altitude and another nine minute burn to change to an equatorial transfer orbit. I'm sure the sat's engines aren't as powerful but should be in the hours range. How long it takes to get ready to fire is a guess, maybe a week? If they try a lunar assist, which I don't think they will, it could take six months.

[Scott Greczkowski]

Those engines are not as powerfull as the one that was supposed to get the bird in the proper orbit, it could be a few months before its parked in its proper orbit.

[Smith, P.]

rglore, those sat's thrusters is totally different type - it cannot provide same impulse, I would say it 10x less powerful at least.

[Poke]

Yeah well here of late it seems that there have been allot of issues come up on these launches. I see now that the D11 been delayed due to possibly a tech issue as well..

[K9SAT]

I see you still complain about foreigners, but lets face the facts:

I totally agree with P Smith, the launch history shows that the launch vehicle is one of the best out there. Just because it came from Russia doesn't mean that it was deliberately botched. I don't believe it as I know Russians are the hardest at work and take pride in this stuff. Now if the vehicle came from china that would be different as they deliberately make cheap shit! Some of the best stuff made I have seen has came from Russia and Japan. It goes to show a pride and craftsmanship in their work.

We all agree that China and Taiwan's products are crap.

PSmith are you hearing anything from the ILS guys?

[K9SAT]

Yeah well here of late it seems that there have been allot of issues come up on these launches. I see now that the D11 been delayed due to possibly a tech issue as well..

Thats just the nature of the beast. Rocket technology is still very young. While it has come leap's and bounds from where it was, but it only has been around for maybe 100 years, if that. Also you got to remeber that we are working with highly volitile explosives, so anything can go wrong with it at a flick of a switch.

[rglore]

rglore, those sat's thrusters is totally different type - it cannot provide same impulse, I would say it 10x less powerful at least.

I said it would take hours, not minutes like the launch vehicle would.

[Jerryinvirginia]

If you would take the time to examine the labels on hardware offered by "Dish", you will find "made in China". The LNB used on the 1000.2 & the DPP Twin are prime examples.....