Ciel-2 Now Scheduled for November?

[Bradtothebone]

Spaceflight Now is currently reporting that Ciel-2 will launch sometime in November, according to a July 17 update:


Spaceflight Now | Tracking Station | Worldwide launch schedule

The launch schedule for ILS is listed as:
8/13: Inmarsat 4-F3
Sept (TBA): Nimiq 4
Oct (TBA): Astra 1M
Nov (TBA): Ciel 2
Seems like a pretty agressive schedule, but it would be great if it actually worked out! Has this been verified anywhere else?

Brad

[Poke]

Yeah lets hope all things go well..

[Poke]

Do we know who will be useing he AMC-21 which is going to 125 orbit??


SES AMERICOM - AMC-21

AMERICOM-21 (AMC-21) is planned as an all Ku-band satellite to operate from the 125o W.L. orbital position. The spacecraft is being built by Thales Alenia Space, incorporating the Orbital Sciences STAR-2 satellite bus. In addition to providing comprehensive 50-state coverage, AMC-21 will also feature high-power coverage of the Gulf of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.


Spacecraft design Orbital STAR-2; Thales Alenia Space (payload)
Orbital location 125o W.L.
Launch Date 12 August 2008
Design Life 15 years


Ku-band payload 24 x 36 MHz
Amp type TWTA, 110 watts
Amp Redundancy 32 for 24
Receiver redundancy 6 for 4
Coverage 50-State, Caribbean, Southern Canada, Mexico

[KAB]

Isn't this ahead of schedule? Last I saw, Q1 '09.

[jmjunkin]

Isn't this ahead of schedule? Last I saw, Q1 '09.

It needs to be ahead of schedule. 129 might die at any minute.

[mdonnelly]

Spaceflight Now is currently reporting that Ciel-2 will launch sometime in November, according to a July 17 update:


Spaceflight Now | Tracking Station | Worldwide launch schedule

The launch schedule for ILS is listed as:
8/13: Inmarsat 4-F3
Sept (TBA): Nimiq 4
Oct (TBA): Astra 1M
Nov (TBA): Ciel 2
Seems like a pretty agressive schedule, but it would be great if it actually worked out! Has this been verified anywhere else?

Brad

Aggressive given their recent launch history. Couldn't verify it at the ILS site, but looking over their previous launches, it's doable (barring another anomaly like AMC-14).

[photoman76]

Do we know who will be useing he AMC-21 which is going to 125 orbit??

PBS will be using a few transponders.


Default

[bnewt]

It needs to be ahead of schedule. 129 might die at any minute.

So this is the replacement for 129 & has nothing to do with Eastern Arc?

[navychop]

That is correct.

[digiblur]

So this is the replacement for 129 & has nothing to do with Eastern Arc?

More than just a replacement. It's a spotbeam bird too, so it should bring more HD local markets online.