AMC-14 Stll moving toward sync orbit

[johnch]

Well maybe my conspiricy theory is still at work because here are the latest results for AMC-!4:

Epoch (UTC): 3:09:05 PM, Tuesday, July 15, 2008Eccentricity: 0.2370984Inclination: 018.4856°Perigee Height: 19,618 kmApogee Height: 35,777 kmRight Ascension of Ascending Node: 141.0592°Argument of Perigee: 022.3872°Revolutions per Day: 01.38016626Mean Anomaly at Epoch: 183.7208°Orbit Number at Epoch:



228

​

Maybe Dish can use AMC-14 for Eastern arc.

JC

 

[Smith P.]

Could we continue main AMC-14 thread with the news ?

 

[johnch]

Tried to search and couldnt find the thread.

Thanks

JC

 

[jerryez]

Old threads get too long and it is hard to find the latest page sometimes. New threads are better than dredging up old threads.

 

[hendrix04]

so in newbie terms, what exactly is that saying? how far away is it?

 

[Smith P.]

Now you see na 'advantage' on new thread - same question comes again and again.

I don't any reason do not merge the threads.

 

[mdonnelly]

You think the government will sell it back to E*? I don't think E* wants it after 12 years of fuel has been exhausted just getting into position.

 

[Smith P.]

After taking GSO position, they will refuel it and sell it on an auction.

 

[John Kotches]

After taking GSO position, they will refuel it and sell it on an auction.

Don't you hate it when another million or so would have given them in-orbit refueling capability?

 

[rsmith7]

After taking GSO position, they will refuel it and sell it on an auction.

Maybe the next Space Shuttle mission. Refuel AMC-14.

 

[Claude Greiner]

You think the government will sell it back to E*? I don't think E* wants it after 12 years of fuel has been exhausted just getting into position.

At the right price they would buy it, and if anything as a back up satellite till they can have a new one built!

 

[ericha]

Maybe the next Space Shuttle mission. Refuel AMC-14.

I assume that this is a joke, but for those who don't know--the Shuttle can't make it to geostationary orbit, and there are no shuttle missions available in any case--I'm pretty sure that they are all scheduled until the shuttle will be shut down (in 2011? I don't remember).

 

[skyviewmark]

I assume that this is a joke, but for those who don't know--the Shuttle can't make it to geostationary orbit, and there are no shuttle missions available in any case--I'm pretty sure that they are all scheduled until the shuttle will be shut down (in 2011? I don't remember).

And even if the shuttle could make it, someone forgot to put a gas cap on the fuel tank that could be opened.

 

[nelson61]

You think the government will sell it back to E*? I don't think E* wants it after 12 years of fuel has been exhausted just getting into position.

The AMC 14 replacement will be completed and launched before AMC 14 gets anywhere near stationary orbit. Something like 1.5-2 years from now

 

[Fitzie]

Is there any reason to believe that once in place AMC 14 would not be able to serve as a limited function observation platform for a number of years? For example, to receive, amplify, and relay data from lunar and Mars landers, the Neptune fly by, etc. Or it could be stationed over Afghanistan as a NATO communications device. Two or three years worth of fuel for full functioning might be enough for 20 or 30 years of fuel for such limited purpose functioning. Functions except those in use would simply go to "sleep," reducing fuel usage drastically.

Fitzie

 

[mike123abc]

Is there any reason to believe that once in place AMC 14 would not be able to serve as a limited function observation platform for a number of years? For example, to receive, amplify, and relay data from lunar and Mars landers, the Neptune fly by, etc. Or it could be stationed over Afghanistan as a NATO communications device. Two or three years worth of fuel for full functioning might be enough for 20 or 30 years of fuel for such limited purpose functioning. Functions except those in use would simply go to "sleep," reducing fuel usage drastically.

Fitzie

None of the above. AMC-14 only has the hardware to broadcast on certain DBS frequencies. The receive antennas point the same direction as the broadcast antennas so it cannot be a relay to anything in space. It is only meant to receive signals from earth and rebroadcast them on the downlink. Fuel is only used for station keeping, the broadcast and receiving is all powered by the solar cells.

The problem is that if it uses up the fuel moving to the orbital position it will not have the fuel needed to keep it in the correct orbital location once it arrives.

 

[Fitzie]

Thanks Mike123abc for your logical response. However...what is to prevent it being used as a rover? For example, if it has orbital drift, circling the earth at periodic intervals, it could still be used as a military link. Just a thought. My whole point being, if the US govt. bought the thing, what are they going to use if for?

 

[whatchel1]

Inclined sat

Thanks Mike123abc for your logical response. However...what is to prevent it being used as a rover? For example, if it has orbital drift, circling the earth at periodic intervals, it could still be used as a military link. Just a thought. My whole point being, if the US govt. bought the thing, what are they going to use if for?

It could be use for a long time in a 5 degree inclined orbit for mil use. BTW with the price of gas these days The gov's about the only one that could afford to fill up it's tank.

 

[mike123abc]

It will be interesting to see what they end up using it for. As mentioned above it only does specific frequencies. These DBS frequencies are tightly regulated by international treaties, one would not want AMC-14 wobbling by your satellite knocking out all your ground receivers by interfering with your satellite signal. The equator locations that would point to north america is pretty well allocated, perhaps there is somewhere in the world that would have a gap between users of the frequencies to play with. 157 or 166 could be used without much issue since they are unallocated US slots...