Echostar 14 update

[HDRoberts]

The can also make the transition over time. They could covert jut the AT250 and/or the premium channels to start. There should be relatively few SD boxes to swap out at those levels, and many who are already paying that much for TV probably already have gone HD.

 

[rocatman]

I believe the transition to MPEG-4 will be sooner than later. One way Dish should implement this is for any new locals added, even SD locals (including those on the new E-14 spotbeams) should require folks to upgrade to MPEG-4 receivers. Dish really should have started this a year or so ago. After really analyzing the E-14 spotbeams, it is a little bit disappointing about the number of spotbeam TPs. I would expect that Dish will either launch a reverse DBS satellite with more spotbeams for the Western Arc or more locals will be on the Eastern Arc.

 

[kstuart]

Also, I expect E*7 to stay at 119 as a backup.

E*7 has spot beams and so is a usable backup, in case of failure, for both 110 and 119.

Dish has new satellites scheduled for 61.5 and 77, and so after E*6 gets to 61.5, they will not need any older satellites to move.

(I would expect E*3 to eventually go to 148 to hold the licenses there.)

 

[nelson61]

E14 launch , test, and move FCC filings

A group of applications were filed yesterday

They cover a 60 day period begining March 20 for launch, testing at 138.5W, move to 119W and temporary authority to operate at 119W.

FCC INTERNATIONAL BUREAU

Separately; Anik has posted a launch time of 18:27 UTC (midday in North America).

 

[harshness]

After really analyzing the E-14 spotbeams, it is a little bit disappointing about the number of spotbeam TPs.

Let's not forget that DIRECTV uses quite a few Ku spotbeams at 119W.

 

[nelson61]

Let's not forget that DIRECTV uses quite a few Ku spotbeams at 119W.

And, Dish/Echostar are still in that mudfight with Spectrum Five. This could explain the "temporary" filing request for E14 operation. Could be FCC is waiting for the release of the new 119W ITU filing (I have not looked to see if it has been posted in ITU database).

 

[caboclipper]

foot print and spot beams or conus beam for e-14

does somebody have an updated map of how the foot print/spot beams/conus beam will look like once the new e-14 is up and running ?

 

[kstuart]

does somebody have an updated map of how the foot print/spot beams/conus beam will look like once the new e-14 is up and running ?

Go to the top of any page on this site and click on "SatMaps".

 

[nelson61]

From the applications:

May be active on May 1.

"

DISH Operating L.L.C. (“DISH”) respectfully requests 60-day Special Temporary
Authority (“STA”), beginning on May 1, 2010, to operate its EchoStar 14 satellite at 118.9?​

W.L. on the 21 Direct Broadcast Satellite (“DBS”) channels already licensed to DISH at the 119º
W.L. nominal orbital location in accordance with the specifications described in its application​

for full authority"

 

[rocatman]

From the applications:

May be active on May 1.

"

DISH Operating L.L.C. (“DISH”) respectfully requests 60-day Special Temporary
Authority (“STA”), beginning on May 1, 2010, to operate its EchoStar 14 satellite at 118.9?​

W.L. on the 21 Direct Broadcast Satellite (“DBS”) channels already licensed to DISH at the 119º
W.L. nominal orbital location in accordance with the specifications described in its application​

for full authority"

My guess would be they requested a STA because of the problems with Spectrum Five and its 114.5 W license.

 

[cj9788]

SS/L ? DISHing Out Another Satellite : Satnews Publishers

Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) has shipped a communications satellite built for DISH Network L.L.C., to the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan, where it will be launched aboard an ILS Proton Breeze M vehicle provided by International Launch Services (ILS). "This is the eighth high-power satellite that SS/L has completed and delivered since the beginning of last year," said John Celli, president of Space Systems/Loral.


Is there a set launch date yet?

 

[SatJim]

SS/L — DISHing Out Another Satellite : Satnews Publishers

Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) has shipped a communications satellite built for DISH Network L.L.C., to the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan, where it will be launched aboard an ILS Proton Breeze M vehicle provided by International Launch Services (ILS). "This is the eighth high-power satellite that SS/L has completed and delivered since the beginning of last year," said John Celli, president of Space Systems/Loral.


Is there a set launch date yet?

I believe March 20th is the date. Echostar 14 is already at Baikonur (arrived on or about Feb. 19th) and is being assembled.

EchoStar XIV Mission Control

 

[space86]

I believe March 20th is the date. Echostar 14 is already at Baikonur (arrived on or about Feb. 19th) and is being assembled.

EchoStar XIV Mission Control

And they can began using it around May 20th?

 

[digiblur]

And they can began using it around May 20th?

They can begin using it as soon as it is in place and tested out. It is going to make a pit stop at 138W and perform testing. I'm sure they want to test all 32 transponders which they can not do at 119 since DirecTV holds some of the licenses.

Remember this is a spotbeam bird, so more testing is involved.

 

[neljtorres]

They can begin using it as soon as it is in place and tested out. It is going to make a pit stop at 138W and perform testing. I'm sure they want to test all 32 transponders which they can not do at 119 since DirecTV holds some of the licenses.

Remember this is a spotbeam bird, so more testing is involved.

Nice to know about the pit stop!

 

[rocatman]

And they can began using it around May 20th?

If E-14 is launched on March 20th then May 20th would be a conservative estimate of when it will be operational at 119 W. I would think it would take a week to 10 days to get it to 138 W for testing, perhaps 30 days of testing and then another week or two to get it moved over to 119 W. As a side note, E-14 is being launched on a Proton and the Proton launch preceding the E-14 went today. Everything is going okay so far but there are still a few more upper stage burns before the launch vehicle mission is complete and the satellite(s) are released. Note there are three small satellite being deployed on the current Proton mission.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I wonder what happens to the old sat at 119 once the new one is in place?

 

[kstuart]

I wonder what happens to the old sat at 119 once the new one is in place?

It is a spot beam bird in good condition, so it would be an ideal backup for both 119 and 110.

Dish has been lucky to not have any massive failures, and I think they realize that they need some backup for their major slots.

 

[harshness]

Ciel 2 took 56 days to turn up.

Nimiq 5 took only 22 days.

Considering the spotbeams, I expect something in the area of the third week of May.

 

[Tyralak]

Shuttle?? Scroll up a few posts... "EchoStar 14 – Proton-M/Briz-M – Baikonur"

That's what I was about to say. The Shuttle doesn't go anywhere NEAR the Clarke Belt.