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

[ScoBuck]

Filed this morning:

EchoStar Communications Corporation - Current Report

 

[jesch3]

that last paragraph doesn't look good

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

This was posted in a couple of the other threads, however this is important information.

From where I sit, I read it as a positive. Instead of them saying the satellite is a loss it says they are working to bring it to proper orbit.

 

[mattopia]

The text

On March 14, 2008, a Proton launch vehicle carrying the SES Americom AMC-14 satellite experienced an anomaly which left the satellite in a lower orbit than planned. While further testing will be necessary, the satellite appears to be functional. Engineers from SES Americom and Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the satellite, are exploring options to potentially bring AMC-14 into its proper orbit. If those efforts are successful, station keeping fuel would be required to correct the orbit, so the service life of the satellite would be substantially reduced.

We intended to lease the entire capacity of the satellite from EchoStar Corporation in order to, among other things, increase the number of high definition channels we offer. Therefore, the launch anomaly will result in a delay in our roll out of some high definition channels, including some local network channels.

 

[Poke]

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..

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

that last paragraph doesn't look good

Here is the last paragraph...

We intended to lease the entire capacity of the satellite from EchoStar Corporation in order to, among other things, increase the number of high definition channels we offer. Therefore, the launch anomaly will result in a delay in our roll out of some high definition channels, including some local network channels.

A "delay" in our rollout of "some" HD channels...

From the way I read that it could delay some of the new HD channel from rolling out as its going to take a little longer for the satellite to get to proper orbit and tested, and thus could delay the launch of some of the new HD channels planned.

Remember Echostar 3 is already there (as its Echostar 12 or as I call it, Rainbow 1) and that most of their plans for the 61.5 slot can still be done even if AMC14 never makes it. The big issue is that Echostar 3 is missing 4 transponders due to electrical problems and the AMC14 satellite would give them back those missing 4 transponders.

Again I consider this 8-K a positive look forward instead of AMC-14 is dead, which is actually what I expected to see in the 8-K.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

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..

There is no such thing as back up engines. Weight is everything for those launches. The engines used have been some of the most reliable ones available. I don't see an American made engine being any better (or worse) then what was used.

Also again remember the decision to launch from Russia and use a Russian rocket was not made by Dish Network. They are just tennents leasing satellite space.

 

[ScoBuck]

SES AMERICOM Confident They Can Get AMC-14 Working

Reported this morning from the President of SES Americaom:

Edward Horowitz, President and CEO of SES Americom, added the satellite network operator is "confident" the engineering teams at Lockheed Martin and SES will find a way to place AMC-14 into the correct orbit.


EETimes.com - Inmarsat postpones satellite launch after Proton launcher failure

 

[Poke]

Yeah overall I think it will be fine. They can always put another Sat up and latter time and for now they really need to make sure their other 3 Sats get to their orbits ok..

 

[Poke]

There is no such thing as back up engines. Weight is everything for those launches. The engines used have been some of the most reliable ones available. I don't see an American made engine being any better (or worse) then what was used.

Also again remember the decision to launch from Russia and use a Russian rocket was not made by Dish Network. They are just tennents leasing satellite space.

Yeah I thought weight might be a issue just some hopefully thinking is all. Well since Dish has little say if I were them after this I would make sure to be putting in my 2 cents that's for sure..

 

[Poke]

Well since this has happen maybe Dish will stop dragging their feet and turn on what HD they can until they get this worked out..

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Reported this morning from the President of SES Americaom:

Edward Horowitz, President and CEO of SES Americom, added the satellite network operator is "confident" the engineering teams at Lockheed Martin and SES will find a way to place AMC-14 into the correct orbit.


EETimes.com - Inmarsat postpones satellite launch after Proton launcher failure

Damn Scobuck...

You are looking to earn the SatelliteGuys Gold Star today. Good Job finding all of this.

 

[gilmoreisu]

Thanks for the information. Good catch.

 

[ScoBuck]

Hey - I am a space geek - much more so than a TV geek. I have always been into spaceflight.

 

[nlk10010]

Reported this morning from the President of SES Americaom:

Edward Horowitz, President and CEO of SES Americom, added the satellite network operator is "confident" the engineering teams at Lockheed Martin and SES will find a way to place AMC-14 into the correct orbit.

-snip-

Interesting, and (IMHO) totally unexpected.

Have there been similar incidents; i.e. have there been satellites launched that were intact but fell 5-10000km short of their orbit? What eventually happened to them? I'm aware of the one or two sats that have been brought up in other threads but AFAIK those never really ended up being used for their intended purpose.

 

[navychop]

< approaches dead horse with stick >

The Russian Proton is one of the most heavily used, most reliable unmanned launchers ever made, with over 325 launches.

Sea Launch also uses Russian launchers.

One of the two "latest and greatest" U.S. satellite launchers uses rocket engines based on (almost identical to) a Russian design.

Russian space hardware, especially launchers, is excellent.

< horse hamburger, anyone? >

 

[nlk10010]

There is no such thing as back up engines. Weight is everything for those launches. The engines used have been some of the most reliable ones available. I don't see an American made engine being any better (or worse) then what was used.

-snip-

Scott, I understand what you're intending to say but are you actually saying that second stages repeatedly fail on all rocket launches? Are you saying that (I believe) 5 failures of roughly the same type with the Brieze-M still qualifies it as "reliable" or at least as reliable as any US or other type of booster? If that were the case my guess is we'd see a lot more shuttle launches fail to reach orbit.

 

[Poke]

Well if they can get it in orbit that would be great and from what I understand that would shorten its lifespan. But it should give them enough time to build a replacement if I'm not mistaken..

 

[ScoBuck]

I know the eventual fate of AMC-14 is the hottest topic right now, and rightfully so, but the events of Friday just may have some much longer lasting consequences.

We already read in the article I posted that Immarsat took action to postpone their launch, before ILS made any such launch delay announcement.

From my reading E13 (for use in Asia) and Ciel-2 (for DISH lease in the U.S.) are currently on the ILS launch list for this year. I would suspect that unlike the relatively short delay that ILS had from the JCSAT mishap, this time the delay could be well over the 9-12 month range as a critical look is taken at the upper stage hardware among other items.

All of this and the long time (6+ months) it would take to get AMC-14 into proper orbit (if in fact it is possible to do) means that DISH plans for this year will have to be altered greatly. I would think that they may have to seek alternative methods of launch (Land Launch is one possibility, I believe they some farily early availibility.

 

[hrxtreme]

Makes me, at least, wonder what kind of deal is being made here to ensure full compensation is still given to SES. I've so much speculation of maybe insurance will pay part of it or maybe they will pay it and then salvage it but I am actually curious to see how that end does pan out. But if they can place it in orbit where it is supposed to be and it buys time for a new sat, and gives people what they want, then a small 'delay' as this form calls out is well worth it. I'd think they'd want to move it as quick as possible if there were going to.