Ciel 2 Tracking
- Thread starter nelson61
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Cool. So it's actually moving away from 138W currently at 136.54W, what does that mean to us the ignorant ones. 
It is not in a geostationary orbit yet. They are slowly moving it from a Geo transfer orbit to a geostationary orbit. When the perigee and apogee are equal and roughly 35600km, it will be in a geo orbit. Also the inclination should be very close to 0.
So, bottom line, no testing yet.
So, bottom line, no testing yet.
Cool. So it's actually moving away from 138W currently at 136.54W, what does that mean to us the ignorant ones.
It is actually at 130E so it is moving to 138W (-138).
Latest TLE has it
Perigee: 13,083.2 km
Apogee: 35,619.2 km
Inclination: 9.2°
Target GTO
Perigee: 5,597 km
Apogee: 35,603 km
Inclination: 19.5°
Still a ways away from GEO. Inclination is down about 10 degrees from launch, and the perigee has been somewhat raised. It will be a few days before it gets to 138.
Remember, no mater what n2yo says IT IS NOT REAL TIME. Rather it is based on the periodically released Two Line Elements (TLE) from NORAD. Thus, it will make huge jumps as TLEs are released.
PLEASE DO NOT POST THAT THE SAT IS FALLING BACK TO EARTH, OR IS SOMEHOW SPEEDING PAST ITS TARGET. CIEL KNOWS WHAT IT IS DOING WHEN IT COMES TO DRIVING THE SAT. If there really is a problem, we'll hear about it.
Perigee: 13,083.2 km
Apogee: 35,619.2 km
Inclination: 9.2°
Target GTO
Perigee: 5,597 km
Apogee: 35,603 km
Inclination: 19.5°
Still a ways away from GEO. Inclination is down about 10 degrees from launch, and the perigee has been somewhat raised. It will be a few days before it gets to 138.
Remember, no mater what n2yo says IT IS NOT REAL TIME. Rather it is based on the periodically released Two Line Elements (TLE) from NORAD. Thus, it will make huge jumps as TLEs are released.
PLEASE DO NOT POST THAT THE SAT IS FALLING BACK TO EARTH, OR IS SOMEHOW SPEEDING PAST ITS TARGET. CIEL KNOWS WHAT IT IS DOING WHEN IT COMES TO DRIVING THE SAT. If there really is a problem, we'll hear about it.
Emailed him
He didn't have it on site after it was launched . I had to email him and ask where it was. He emailed me back and it would be up next morning & it was. It has a few more trips around the world to climb to correct altitude for geo.
He didn't have it on site after it was launched . I had to email him and ask where it was. He emailed me back and it would be up next morning & it was. It has a few more trips around the world to climb to correct altitude for geo.
Thanks, nelson61, for getting this new tracking thread going with regard to Ciel-2.
Charlie Ergen on the Chat speculated that Ciel-2 might be operational by the end of the month. So, what are the possible events that would lead to his comment?
As we know, testing of the satellite can begin 10 days after launch, which would be December 20. To be in place for the testing to begin on that schedule, Ciel-2 would probably need to be at or about 138W for final positioning a day or 2 quicker--perhaps on the 18th December.
The testing then would take only about 6 days, to allow 5 days for the move from 138 to 129 by Dec. 31. My first question, is what is it about 138 that would allow Charlie to think the testing could be concluded in as little as 6 days? My answer, to myself, is that of angle. Thinking of the equator as a string, and the sat. locations at 129 and 138 as strings on the bead, the angle from each of them to the destination (i.e., the US and Canada) is not that different from one to the other. During and after the move from 138 to 129, only minor changes of inclination, etc. would be needed. As a result, minor touch up moves would take a very short time. Assuming the preceding, the earliest satellite signals could be sent would be about Dec. 31, but more probably a date of about Jan. 3, 2009. The latest signal launch date expected under this scenario would be Jan. 10.
As has been noted on this forum, E* has requested permission to move the current 129W sat. (E5) from its location beginning on Jan. 15, 2009. This would allow 5 additional days for shakedown from the 10th, assuming full signal distribution on that date. It is also possible that some migration of signal distribution from E5 to Ciel-2 would occur over a period of days, rather than all at once.
Charlie would probably like to broadcast the BCS bowl on Ciel-2, starting the year out with a bang. The first ten days of January should be exciting.
Fitzie
Charlie Ergen on the Chat speculated that Ciel-2 might be operational by the end of the month. So, what are the possible events that would lead to his comment?
As we know, testing of the satellite can begin 10 days after launch, which would be December 20. To be in place for the testing to begin on that schedule, Ciel-2 would probably need to be at or about 138W for final positioning a day or 2 quicker--perhaps on the 18th December.
The testing then would take only about 6 days, to allow 5 days for the move from 138 to 129 by Dec. 31. My first question, is what is it about 138 that would allow Charlie to think the testing could be concluded in as little as 6 days? My answer, to myself, is that of angle. Thinking of the equator as a string, and the sat. locations at 129 and 138 as strings on the bead, the angle from each of them to the destination (i.e., the US and Canada) is not that different from one to the other. During and after the move from 138 to 129, only minor changes of inclination, etc. would be needed. As a result, minor touch up moves would take a very short time. Assuming the preceding, the earliest satellite signals could be sent would be about Dec. 31, but more probably a date of about Jan. 3, 2009. The latest signal launch date expected under this scenario would be Jan. 10.
As has been noted on this forum, E* has requested permission to move the current 129W sat. (E5) from its location beginning on Jan. 15, 2009. This would allow 5 additional days for shakedown from the 10th, assuming full signal distribution on that date. It is also possible that some migration of signal distribution from E5 to Ciel-2 would occur over a period of days, rather than all at once.
Charlie would probably like to broadcast the BCS bowl on Ciel-2, starting the year out with a bang. The first ten days of January should be exciting.
Fitzie
Well done. I just put it on my favorites list so I can pop over every day and check it out.
Fitzie
How many markets does 129 currently have? One of the main reasons we have been speculating about the longer testing widow is the amount of spots. I'm thinking maybe Charlie will just test the spots that need to go into immediate use.
One worrying thing, though, is that 211s needs a software update to support all the new table entries for the 129 spots.
One worrying thing, though, is that 211s needs a software update to support all the new table entries for the 129 spots.
Tracking now available on Heavens Above
OBJECT A - Orbit Data
In some ways I prefer this site as it has a larger emphasis on the orbital path based on the latest TLE. It sows you where it's going, not just where it is.
OBJECT A - Orbit Data
In some ways I prefer this site as it has a larger emphasis on the orbital path based on the latest TLE. It sows you where it's going, not just where it is.
I agree.
If you are feeling nerdy, you can use Jens Satre's tracker Online Satellite Calculations - 20©07 Jens T. Satre to see how much of the east west oscillation is caused by eccentricity and how much by inclination. Just paste the three line tle (two lines and Ciel header) in and pick you location for time related data.
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Yup, latest TLE has it just under a geo orbit, slowly moving it over to 138W for testing. Looks like things are on schedule!
