Directv 16 Launch Schedule
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AT&T reconfirmed this is their last satellite they are going to launch and it’s going to use several orbital slots.
Ariane 5 lofts satellites for AT&T, Eutelsat - SpaceNews.com
Ariane 5 lofts satellites for AT&T, Eutelsat - SpaceNews.com
“We currently have no future planned satellite launches.
A factually correct statement until they contract to build another satellite
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I don't see any reason why they would ever build another satellite. The ones they have will be good until at least 2030. Perhaps longer, obviously Directv knows exactly how much fuel each one has, whether they have any indication of degradation of the solar panels or batteries, or other hardware. D8 was launched in 2005 and has fuel life until 2034 so they'll even have a spare available at 101 should something happen to T16.
Hard to see how that could cost less than launching a replacement satellite. Hubble orbited at a few hundred miles, these satellites are in an orbit 22000 miles out where the space shuttle was not designed to reach. And obviously no one designs communications satellites with repair/refueling in mind.
It's getting real close to commercial service for refueling.
Satellite Servicing Projects Division
Inside the wildly ambitious quest to refuel satellites in space | WIRED UK
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I didn't see it mentioned anywhere in the article, but are they talking about the satellites at 22,000 miles or the LEO ones?
Geostationary . All robotic.
One method is strap on power pack. NASA is the full blown refill with special tools to open the sealed and wire locked charging valve.
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That assumes that the fuel runs out after 15 years - which is much less likely with electric propulsion since it uses so little fuel for station keeping. The other components don't have an unlimited life, solar panels and batteries degrade, etc.
I suppose if Directv wanted to continue satellite service but D11 or D12 was running out of fuel maybe it would be a better deal to spend $100 million or whatever to give it five extra years of life than $400 million for a new satellite that gave them 20 years - since they wouldn't need 20 years. But in most cases you'd be better off launching a brand new satellite. They are always more efficient than what went before, originally you needed multiple satellites for a location like 101 now T16 will handle that all by itself (and probably still have capacity left over for some Ka transponders if Directv ever used those from 101) Keeping an old satellite going for a few more years would have a pretty limited market.
Much bigger market to be able to clean up the old retired satellites in the parking orbit a few hundred miles above GSO, and boost them down to be able to burn up in the atmosphere. The question there is who would pay for that? Its like finding someone to pay for cleaning up an old city dump and turn it into a public park. It is for the good of everyone, but trying to raise everyone's taxes to pay for it would be difficult - a lot of them would say "I'll never use that park, someone else can pay for it!"
I suppose if Directv wanted to continue satellite service but D11 or D12 was running out of fuel maybe it would be a better deal to spend $100 million or whatever to give it five extra years of life than $400 million for a new satellite that gave them 20 years - since they wouldn't need 20 years. But in most cases you'd be better off launching a brand new satellite. They are always more efficient than what went before, originally you needed multiple satellites for a location like 101 now T16 will handle that all by itself (and probably still have capacity left over for some Ka transponders if Directv ever used those from 101) Keeping an old satellite going for a few more years would have a pretty limited market.
Much bigger market to be able to clean up the old retired satellites in the parking orbit a few hundred miles above GSO, and boost them down to be able to burn up in the atmosphere. The question there is who would pay for that? Its like finding someone to pay for cleaning up an old city dump and turn it into a public park. It is for the good of everyone, but trying to raise everyone's taxes to pay for it would be difficult - a lot of them would say "I'll never use that park, someone else can pay for it!"
So as a schlub who comes here to learn things, what does this launch do for the DirecTV customers?
Probably not much that is noticeable. It won't bring new channels since they already have the capacity for that. It may let them move more channels to the 101 slot when mpeg2 goes away.
It will bring west coast feeds which is coming soon. Just wish they would launch Nick HD West!
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Thank you for the info, very interesting indeed.
So this is todays technology in it's infancy, maybe in 15 years both fueling and repair will be possible and affordable, and I think needed as we hear of all of the plans for internet delivery by satellites.
Thank you for the info, very interesting indeed.
So this is todays technology in it's infancy, maybe in 15 years both fueling and repair will be possible and affordable, and I think needed as we hear of all of the plans for internet delivery by satellites.
Those LEO and MEO Internet satellites are built to be disposable.
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Musk's satellites are supposed to have only a 5 year life before they re-enter the atmosphere and burn up. Anyone trying to launch constellations of hundreds or thousands of satellites has to make them VERY cheap compared to the satellites Directv launches and make them far smaller so they can launch them in bunches. That's the only way the numbers can possibly work (and I don't see how they can ever be competitive with ground based solutions like cellular, they'll only be useful for people WAY out in the sticks who will never have a tower anywhere near them)
When you have a large number of cheap satellites there's no way in-orbit service/fueling can make sense, not only due to cost but the difficulty of reaching all of them. At least GSO satellites are all in the same orbital plane. There will be dozens of orbital planes for the various things like SpaceX, OneWeb and so forth.
When you have a large number of cheap satellites there's no way in-orbit service/fueling can make sense, not only due to cost but the difficulty of reaching all of them. At least GSO satellites are all in the same orbital plane. There will be dozens of orbital planes for the various things like SpaceX, OneWeb and so forth.
I picture ships at sea with gimbal mounted auto tracking antennas using such a world wide service. Might even get down below the “yacht” level.
Certainly of value to cargo and especially cruise ships.
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Certainly of value to cargo and especially cruise ships.
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