Echostar 5 Moving

[nelson61]

Echostar 5 has started on it's journey to 148W. New TLE this morning shows it about 30 km above geostationary (moving west). It will probably move to 100 km or more above geostationary in the next few days and accelerate it's movement west.

1 25913U 99050A 09119.70000000 .00000064 00000-0 00000+0 0 7177
2 25913 000.0190 287.4240 0003724 234.1440 179.1210 01.00170563 35151

 

[cj43]

Pile of Crap

That satellite was nothing but problems. I can't imagine it has any useful life left. I guess that's where they want it to die.

 

[digiblur]

That satellite was nothing but problems. I can't imagine it has any useful life left. I guess that's where they want it to die.

Yep. Push it on over to 148 to hang on to the license.

 

[Derwin0]

Echostar 5 has started on it's journey to 148W.

And now for the official Echostar 5 Moving Music
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/sounds/sanfordandson.wav

 

[nelson61]

Moved up to 55 km above geostationary and moving west at about 0.7 degrees/day.

1 25913U 99050A 09120.50071792 .00000073 00000-0 00000+0 0 7195
2 25913 000.0085 258.7459 0002653 119.5107 250.9236 01.00077597 35163

 

[whatchel1]

Dat right

And now for the official Echostar 5 Moving Music
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/sounds/sanfordandson.wav

I knew I was gonna like it.

 

[Sammy033]

And now for the official Echostar 5 Moving Music

"I'm coming Elizabeth! I'm coming!"

Great great show.

 

[Derwin0]

"I'm coming Elizabeth! I'm coming!"

So does that make Echostar 1, Elizabeth?

 

[digiblur]

So does that make Echostar 1, Elizabeth?

And she's going to run away as soon as E5 gets there

 

[nelson61]

Echostar requests another 60 days to complete relocaton. Present relocation permit expires May15. This will be the 3rd 60 day extension.

http://licensing.fcc.gov/ibfsweb/ib.page.FetchAttachment?attachment_key=-164687

 

[TNGTony]

And now for the official Echostar 5 Moving Music
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/sounds/sanfordandson.wav

Hey... That one's for E*4!!!!

See ya
Tony

 

[ralfyguy]

It's not moving now. Stopped at 130.49. It ran out of fuel before it got there huh?

 

[nelson61]

Looks like it has been stable for a couple of days, moving at 0.7 degrees/day. Arrival at 148w in 3 weeks so ( 131.4W now). So we can can expect to see E1 make it's transfer and start it's move to 77W in early June.

1 25913U 99050A 09122.36245962 .00000075 00000-0 00000+0 0 7218
2 25913 000.0015 243.5815 0002582 139.0244 197.3116 01.00074875 35183

 

[digiblur]

It's not moving now. Stopped at 130.49. It ran out of fuel before it got there huh?

Only takes fuel to stop and start the move.

 

[BobaBird]

If the June 2009 estimate for end of life for E*5 (again not mentioned in the STA request) turns out to be accurate, will Dish try for a 4th extension? Will everyone's channels be available from other slots by the time there's no functional bird left at 148°?

 

[nelson61]

If the June 2009 estimate for end of life for E*5 (again not mentioned in the STA request) turns out to be accurate, will Dish try for a 4th extension? Will everyone's channels be available from other slots by the time there's no functional bird left at 148°?

It will soon be pushing a year from the E2 failure date and they will have sucessfully kept the license intact with no satellite serving those 16 licensed transponders . It would not suprise me if the real reason E5 did not move off 129W when Ciel 2 arrived was that they were using "software problems" as an excuse and were intentionally eating up time with extensions.

My guess is that the musical chairs will continue with E5 "slotkeeping" until Nimiq 5 launches in late summer. Then, E6 could move to 61.5W and E3 could move to 148W and be the "slotkeeper" with E5 deorbited.

148W is a good slot and can provide great service for a large part of Conus - as far east as the Mississipi (not many mountains in that area of the country). They claim in their submissions that a "new" satellite will be build for 148W.

 

[nelson61]

From the financials;

Looks like it would fit well in a Mad Max movie.

EchoStar V. EchoStar V was originally designed with a minimum 12-year design life. Momentum wheel failures in prior years, together with relocation of the satellite between orbital locations, resulted in increased fuel consumption, as previously disclosed. Prior to 2009, EchoStar V experienced anomalies resulting in the loss of 13 solar array strings. During April 2009, EchoStar V lost an additional solar array string. These issues have not impacted commercial operation of the satellite. However, during 2005, as a result of the momentum wheel failures

 

[rocatman]

It will soon be pushing a year from the E2 failure date and they will have sucessfully kept the license intact with no satellite serving those 16 licensed transponders . It would not suprise me if the real reason E5 did not move off 129W when Ciel 2 arrived was that they were using "software problems" as an excuse and were intentionally eating up time with extensions.

My guess is that the musical chairs will continue with E5 "slotkeeping" until Nimiq 5 launches in late summer. Then, E6 could move to 61.5W and E3 could move to 148W and be the "slotkeeper" with E5 deorbited.

148W is a good slot and can provide great service for a large part of Conus - as far east as the Mississipi (not many mountains in that area of the country). They claim in their submissions that a "new" satellite will be build for 148W.

+1

 

[mike123abc]

I do not really see E3 moving to 148. E3 was built for 61.5, it would probably hit China at 148... I know they can point it at the US, but it would be a very bad footprint. I see it staying at 61.5 for a backup for a while. EA is much more important than 148.

 

[nelson61]

I do not really see E3 moving to 148. E3 was built for 61.5, it would probably hit China at 148... I know they can point it at the US, but it would be a very bad footprint. I see it staying at 61.5 for a backup for a while. EA is much more important than 148.

One or more BSS satellites have to go there or they will lose the BSS license(s). They have informed FCC they are going to maintain the permits active. They have to put something(s) there that will cover the full spectrum