Dish Network® Outlines Upcoming Hd Launch Schedule

**navychop** · 03-25-2008 10:20 PM

Ciel-2 uses the Breeze-M upper stage and will almost certainly be delayed. If they lose insurance coverage, they'll have to move to another launcher, which would be a 1-2 year delay.

The Russians already have a replacement in the works for the Breeze-M.

**digiblur** · 03-25-2008 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by bobl

Not all local HD channels are sent via fiber. Here in San Francisco our big four network HD locals are picked up via regular antenna. Three of them are on what's known as Sutro Tower. This tower handles both analog and digital signals. There is work being done on the tower from time to time and when this happens we lose the Dish Network feed of these channels just as we lose the regular OTA feed. I'm sure fiber is the preferred choice and possibly the usual method of delivery but it's certainly not the only method of delivery used by Dish Network.

Lots of folks have the misconception about locals here.

Let's take Sacramento, CA for example. They are uplinked from the Spokane, WA uplink center to the 110 satellite. How do you get them there?

1. Pick them via OTA via one POP in Sacramento.
2. Mux them together and send them via fiber to Spokane, WA.
3. Spokane receives them, sends them through the encryption system and MPEG4 encoder.
4. Then onto the modulator and up into the sky.

So yes, just about every LiL needs fiber links back to their uplink center.

**digiblur** · 03-25-2008 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by voyagerbob

Has anyone see a spotbeam map for Ciel-2? I would love to see what areas they cover.

Voyagerbob

You probably won't see anything until later this year...which we might not see much from it since it isn't an American bird.

**nelson61** · 03-27-2008 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by long_time_DNC

Yep, except that 129 is a dying bird...

Unless someone does a Hail Mary there may not be anything at 129 at the end of 2008!

From Echostar 2007 10k

"EchoStar V. EchoStar V was launched during September 1999 and currently operates at the 129 degree orbital location. The satellite was originally designed with a minimum 12-year design life. As previously disclosed, momentum wheel failures in prior years, together with relocation of the satellite between orbital locations, resulted in increased fuel consumption. These issues have not impacted commercial operation of the satellite, but have reduced the remaining spacecraft life to less than two years as of December 31, 2006."

**long_time_DNC** · 03-28-2008 11:51 AM

Sounds like they'd better start doing something for the 129 slot fairly soon...

**Poke** · 03-28-2008 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by long_time_DNC

Sounds like they'd better start doing something for the 129 slot fairly soon...

Yeah with what happen with the AMC14 maybe they can push the launch of the Sat that is going to replace or assist at 129. I thought I read were they had already started building the up-link center for the Sat this month..

**nelson61** · 03-28-2008 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by Poke

Yeah with what happen with the AMC14 maybe they can push the launch of the Sat that is going to replace or assist at 129. I thought I read were they had already started building the up-link center for the Sat this month..

The complication is that the Russian government has suspended all "M" launches until they identify what went wrong with AMC 14. Then, the insurance companies have to be satisfied about future risk. Unless they find something real simple to fix and find it fast, all the launches from that site (including Ciel 2) are going to be pushed back for an indefinite period of time since all the launch sites around the world are fully booked for several years.

**nelson61** · 03-28-2008 06:47 PM

The last fuel on board for Echostar 5 (129) has to be used to push it up into a "dead" orbit. If that has to happen before the end of 2008 and Ciel 2 is delayed, we can probably expect to see a FCC request for permission to move an existing "spare" to the 129 location to protect the HD transmissions.

**long_time_DNC** · 03-28-2008 08:37 PM

I expect to see such a request by mid-summer, if not sooner, since they need to use the last of the fuel to get it out of the way.

**mike123abc** · 03-29-2008 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by nelson61

The last fuel on board for Echostar 5 (129) has to be used to push it up into a "dead" orbit. If that has to happen before the end of 2008 and Ciel 2 is delayed, we can probably expect to see a FCC request for permission to move an existing "spare" to the 129 location to protect the HD transmissions.

It is possible to use E8 as the spare assuming they get E11 up this year. E6 the current spare looks like it may be spending some quality time at 77.