Ciel 2 - ILS Site Active

[nelson61]

ILS has activated the Ciel 2 launch page!!

Ciel-2 Mission Control

 

[Poke]

Let's hope this all goes well due to the 129 needs some help..

 

[WiCkeDuDe]

Dish needs some help too. I really hope that Ciel 2 is not a repeat of the AMC-14 launch. I really dont know if Dish could take that kind of hit right now.

 

[RandallA]

Dish needs some help too. I really hope that Ciel 2 is not a repeat of the AMC-14 launch. I really dont know if Dish could take that kind of hit right now.

Dude, don't even mention it. We all need Ciel 2 to replace Echostar 5 smoothly.

 

[apollog]

Does anyone know what are Dish Networks options, if Ciel 2 doesn't make it?

 

[HDRoberts]

Looks like the same 5 Breeze-M burn strategy on the last few successful launches. Didn't AMC-14 use a 3 burn scheme with extra long burns that contributed to the failure?

 

[Rangers484]

Not that Dish will need one, but what is the likely contingency plan if this does not go as smoothly as they would hope?

 

[kstuart]

- Move either EchoStar 6 or 8 to 129 (which would drastically reduce service in Eastern Arc, so it is unlikely)

- Move EchoStar 1 to 129. It is not far away, and Dish has been aggressively moving channels off EchoStar 1 over the past few months.

- Buy or rent someone else's satellite, either in orbit or about to be launched.

If I had to bet, I would bet on moving EchoStar 1 as it would likely last long enough, i.e. until E*6 or E*8 is replaced by the new satellites slated for 72.5 and 77, and then one of those could move to 129. Remaming E*1 channels could move to 110, where there is currently free space, as well as PPV channels that could be temporarily removed.

I would suspect that some delays in launching on new channel additions have been due to E*'s lack of backup right at the moment - they may be waiting for successful launch and test of Ciel-2 which would give them some breathing space.

 

[HDRoberts]

Problem is, Echostar 1 only has 16 TPs. I would think they would have to use E8.

Maybe, for enough money, E11 could serve Direct's 3 TPs at 110 and Dish could use D5.

 

[kstuart]

EchoStar 5 is only running 25 transponders, IIRC due to power issues.

The other 9 could be made up using EchoStar 4 ( ! ) and moving some sd locals to 110 as well.

PS Of course, all this is assuming that EchoStar 5 fails before the next E* launch after Ciel-2. Every E* launch after Ciel-2 replaces a working satellite that can be used elsewhere.

 

[nelson61]

Dec 6 Launch Date Set

ILS has updated site with launch date- Dec 6

 

[HDRoberts]

Moved it up a few days. Always a good sign. Also given they usually launch very early in the morning, this is likely Dec. 5 in the afternoon or evening US time.

And it looks like the sat made it there as well today. The rocket and upper stage are already there.

 

[Laddyboy]

EchoStar 5 is only running 25 transponders, IIRC due to power issues.

The other 9 could be made up using EchoStar 4 ( ! ) and moving some sd locals to 110 as well.

PS Of course, all this is assuming that EchoStar 5 fails before the next E* launch after Ciel-2. Every E* launch after Ciel-2 replaces a working satellite that can be used elsewhere.

Is there a limit to how many transponders can be at any orbital location? Or how many different satellites?

 

[ekilgus]

Does E* have any scheduled launches for 2009?

 

[HDRoberts]

The inaccurate Lyngsat lists Echostar 14 (headed to 119, replacing or augmenting E7) as going up in the second half of 2009. This may slip to 2010.

News Archives - 2007 press release announcing an Echostar launch on a Proton.

2010 should bring Nimiq-5 to replace E6 at 72.7.

2011 should bring Quetzsat 1 to replace E8 at 77 and perhaps Echostar 15 to (?) replace E3 at 61.5.

 

[mike123abc]

Is there a limit to how many transponders can be at any orbital location? Or how many different satellites?

The US DBS band is 32 Transponders. It is a standard number. You can have multiple satellites for a location, each satellite can do any of the 32 TPs. But, of course there is only so many spots near an orbital location (remember Ku DBS is just one band, there are Cband, Ku FSS, Ka, etc), more than 3 satellites tends to be a crowd for the DBS band.

 

[Laddyboy]

The US DBS band is 32 Transponders. It is a standard number. You can have multiple satellites for a location, each satellite can do any of the 32 TPs. But, of course there is only so many spots near an orbital location (remember Ku DBS is just one band, there are Cband, Ku FSS, Ka, etc), more than 3 satellites tends to be a crowd for the DBS band.

Thank you.

 

[cincyguy2k4]

Id say that combining this launch with the current mpeg 4 conversion of EA and WA is going to keep Dish on autopilot for all of 2009 for certain.

 

[whatchel1]

3 sats

More than three sats is crowding a location period. Doesn't make any difference if they are different bands.

 

[slimoli]

With this new satellite, can we have hopes to use the 129 in South Florida ? I am waiting for an opportunity to go back to Dish but I only have SW view and can't use the 61.5.

Thanks