Quetzsat 1 Successfully Launched!

[nelson61]

Anik has updated Quetzsat 1. Launch on August 18.

This date would put it in service around September 1.

Plan of Russian space launches

 

[whatchel1]

Anik has updated Quetzsat 1. Launch on August 18.

This date would put it in service around September 1.

Plan of Russian space launches

Where is this one going?

 

[nelson61]

Where is this one going?

77W to Replace Echostar 8

 

[rocatman]

Anik has updated Quetzsat 1. Launch on August 18.

This date would put it in service around September 1.

Plan of Russian space launches

That September 1 date is pretty optimistic. That might be the date when it gets to a geostationary orbit but it might be going to another slot for testing. Testing also will be a bit longer since it has spotbeams and the fact that it will serve both the U.S. and Mexico might increase its testing and delay its in service date. I would be surprised that it is put into service by September 15th.

 

[mike123abc]

It should make a lot of EA markets happy. Dish should have a lot more capacity to fill in the secondary HD locals, and probably will have the capacity to add new markets in HD.

It will not be a happy day for "movers" who moved to a CONUS 77 market...

 

[CK SatGuy]

Hopefully when it gets put into orbit, the signal will be a lot stronger and DMAs like Flint, MI will actually be able to see it.

 

[psdstu]

It should make a lot of EA markets happy. Dish should have a lot more capacity to fill in the secondary HD locals, and probably will have the capacity to add new markets in HD.

It will not be a happy day for "movers" who moved to a CONUS 77 market...

I'm not up to speed on EA and WA markets........... but this is probably our best shot to get to see Dothan AL locals in HD..........which also provides WTVY (SD) to Panama City.

 

[HDRoberts]

That September 1 date is pretty optimistic. That might be the date when it gets to a geostationary orbit but it might be going to another slot for testing. Testing also will be a bit longer since it has spotbeams and the fact that it will serve both the U.S. and Mexico might increase its testing and delay its in service date. I would be surprised that it is put into service by September 15th.

I agree. Plus, I think this is a spotbeam heavy sat, so testing will be more prolonged. There are few free TPs at 77, but I doubt it is enough to test on station, although I'm sure Dish engineers are smarter than me. Mid to late October would be my guess.

On the plus side, sounds like there are no concerns about the last SS/L 1300 sat and its solar array problems.

 

[simonhwsn]

I'm sorry for my ignorance, who's anik to make so reliable his source?

anybody has a clue of how many TPs would be usable for mexican service?

 

[HDRoberts]

I'm sorry for my ignorance, who's anik to make so reliable his source?

No idea who he is, but he has always been right before. I suspect he works at Baikonur. He keeps up the list of Russian launches very well.

 

[Bobby]

Anik is the maker of the satellite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anik_(satellite)

 

[whatchel1]

Anik is the maker of the satellite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anik_(satellite)

IOW Telsat Canada Telesat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[nelson61]

Anik (spaceflight.com) has updated Quetzsat 1 launch to Sept 28.

On June 27, in their Echostar 4 deorbit filing, Echostar provided a Quetzsat launch date of "on or about Aug 12".

Something must have shoved it back (perhaps more work on the recent Loral solar panal deployment failure?)

 

[nelson61]

Quetzsat 1 Coverage FCC Filing July 7 2011

The details for Quetzsat 1 have been filed.

Two North American beams - East and West.

No spot beams

24 transponders for Dish USA with stronger signal on northern edge and larger Conus area coverage when compared to Echostar 8.

8 transponders for Dish Mexico

I will upload the satmaps later today.

Quetzsat 1 Narrative

 

[HDRoberts]

No spot beams

WOW, I find that rather shocking, given all the LiL on 77, and the needs to avoid Canadian interference. I figured this bird would be perfect for a lot of spots.

 

[rocatman]

Very surprising and confusing why there is no spotbeams on this satellite. Puzzled at what Dish was thinking when designing this satellite.

 

[nelson61]

More Detail

Echostar 8 will be relocating to a different slot after Quetzsat is operational

Quetzsat is projected to be operational in October 2011

 

[mike123abc]

It makes me wonder if they are planning on eventually dropping 77 from EA. To keep 77 in EA for a few TPs that only reach the lower 2/3 of the US seems expensive, I do not see how they could run national programming on them. The only other option I could see is eventually moving E12 there and just run spots on it.

I wonder how many TPs will be used for spots on the new 61.5.

They are finally saying good buy to E4, it is listed as being deorbited once Q1 is in place. I wonder what the plan is for E6&8? E8 is listed as moving but to where 86?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I dont get anything from 77 here in Connecticut.

 

[nelson61]

A quick look at the East and West beams from same point in space.

Green contour is expected to be a little over 50 dbw (this includes a 0.7 dbw derate when all 32 transponders are operating)