Echostar 15 launch update

[HDRoberts]

I don't know why everyone is so interested in additional CONUS capacity on the EA. With new TPs coming online at 72.7, there is plenty.

What we need is CONUS capacity on the WA (to be gotten though the MPEG4 transition that Dish needs to get off their rears on), and spot beam capacity on the EA, which E15 will hardly help them on.

 

[JohnH]

Thanks.

Interesting how power problems have been at 61.5 almost since day 1. E3 could only power 21 of its 32 Tps. Power supply overheating.

 

[nelson61]

My best guess is Dish will not use TP 23 for spotbeams since they only have temporary authority on it so E-15 should add at least 6 CONUS TPs to the EA.QUOTE]

No one else wants the space. They've had temp use of it for many years and will likely continue to be able to use it for many many more years.

 

[rocatman]

I don't know why everyone is so interested in additional CONUS capacity on the EA. With new TPs coming online at 72.7, there is plenty.

What we need is CONUS capacity on the WA (to be gotten though the MPEG4 transition that Dish needs to get off their rears on), and spot beam capacity on the EA, which E15 will hardly help them on.

You are correct that CONUS capacity on the WA is more important. From my previous posts, E-15 can help with spotbeam capacity on the EA. Perhaps the channels you mention on your wishlist for Cleveland locals would be added.

Dish can do a lot of things with the extra CONUS capacity on the EA. Bringing back some of the international programming is one thing that has been proposed. This would reduce some split arc setups. Dish could also have some of the east coast HD RSNs fulltime. Don't know if Dish would use CONUS TPs for significant viewed local channels in some areas but it certainly is possible.

 

[nelson61]

I don't know why everyone is so interested in additional CONUS capacity on the EA. With new TPs coming online at 72.7, there is plenty.

.

They may have short term plans to support better service into Puerto Rico/VI with the solid Conus Plus service provided by E15 (Nimiq 5 can't do it).

Lookng forward, their SEC filings state that E16 will "replace the satellites at 61.5W" implying a configuration similar to Ceil 2 or E14. In that case, E15 may move to another slot at that time.

 

[rocatman]

They may have short term plans to support better service into Puerto Rico/VI with the solid Conus Plus service provided by E15 (Nimiq 5 can't do it).

Lookng forward, their SEC filings state that E16 will "replace the satellites at 61.5W" implying a configuration similar to Ceil 2 or E14. In that case, E15 may move to another slot at that time.

I can see how one can interpret the wording of that SEC filing to mean E-16 will be the only satellite at 61.5 W but I wouldn't put a lot of faith in that idea. What Dish does with E-12 and E-15 at 61.5 W when E-16 is operational should be interesting. Based on their recent satelllites, Dish sees value in having higher powered CONUS TPs in order to reduce the Forward Error Correction (FEC) thus getting more useful bandwidth out of each TP. I'm not sure that the satellite power technology has developed fast enough for Dish to deploy a satellite with say 16 TPs for spotbeams with the other 16 providing the high power for CONUS TPs like E-11 or E-15. I wouldn't be surprised if Dish has "Expansion Band" capability on E-16 since they have a license very close to 61.5 W.

 

[JohnH]

Yeah, I was wondering how the "Reverse Band" is going to fit in with current slots.

 

[nelson61]

Yeah, I was wondering how the "Reverse Band" is going to fit in with current slots.

The description per the FCC is " BSS 17/24 Ghz"

 

[nelson61]

Echostar 15 In Service Date - August 3, 2010

Echostar 15 will commence broadcast service on August 3, 2010.

Echostar 15 In Service Date FCC Filing

 

[whatchel1]

KEWL

 

[harshness]

Echostar 15 will commence broadcast service on August 3, 2010.

23 days seems to be an awfully quick turnaround for a non-equatorial launch.

 

[nelson61]

23 days seems to be an awfully quick turnaround for a non-equatorial launch.

They are skipping a different longitude test location and only Conus to test. Also, it has less mass than the spot satellites so the Proton will be able to insert it at a higher perigee.

 

[JohnH]

E15 will likely be rushed a bit to get on station and the usual 30 day station keeping test will likely be partially conducted while in service.

 

[harshness]

Compare the deployment of E11 to the time line for E15 and get back to us.

That should free you from considering the absence of a spot beam payload.

For reference: E11 launched from the equator and was in service in 41 days.

 

[nelson61]

Compare the deployment of E11 to the time line for E15 and get back to us.

That should free you from considering the absence of a spot beam payload.

For reference: E11 launched from the equator and was in service in 41 days.

No need to consider anything. The launch and in service dates are firm and this sets everything else.

Non-equtorial launch and will likely be on station in 7-10 days. Two weeks of testing Conus and they are in business. One willl be hard pressed to find a faster launch to in service period.

 

[HDRoberts]

Compare the deployment of E11 to the time line for E15 and get back to us.

That should free you from considering the absence of a spot beam payload.

For reference: E11 launched from the equator and was in service in 41 days.

But E11 had to transit from 138 where it tested to 110. A journey that took it around 16 days at least. Plus, since they will test it on station, they can only test the inoperative TPs at first. So it will be in service having had to test fewer TPs than E11 did.

Also, equatorial launches helps the launch vehicle, not so much the sat. All equatorial does is eliminate the plane change maneuver. But sea-launch sats and ILS sats are placed the same delta-v from GEO. Sea launch generally sets their sats at a lower perigee. Also, the sat manufacturer Dish uses equips their sats with an auxiliary engine specifically to use for orbital injection, which speeds things of considerably.

 

[JohnH]

As far as the testing routine will occur, since E3, E6 and E12 are all there it is likely that all Tps are functional and they will likely be able to test all Tps before placing into service. It would take longer as they would have to wait on a "musical" Tps move before testing a group Tps. Whether they will use such a routine is apparently not known but it seems they have vacated enough Tps to do such a thing.

 

[nelson61]

Echostar-15 Prelaunch Processing Continues at Baikonur

Russian News Service
:: 05.07.2010


Proton-M/Breeze-M/EchoStar-15 prelaunch processing continues at Baikonur. The satellite built by US Space Systems Loral (USA) will be operated by EchoStar Orbital Corporation.
The LV was delivered to the prop filling station this morning. Breeze-M low pressure tanks are to be fillied with propellant components within next two days.
The State Board will meet tomorrow to confirm launch readiness and give its ‘go’ for roll out tentatively slated for July 7.
Proton is to loft EchoStar-15 on July 10, at 22.40, marking the 7th launch of Proton this year. Proton has already orbited Echostar payload in March, 2010. 6.3t-Echostar-14 became the heaviest satellite launched by Proton so far.

Roscosmos PAO

 

[rocatman]

As far as the testing routine will occur, since E3, E6 and E12 are all there it is likely that all Tps are functional and they will likely be able to test all Tps before placing into service. It would take longer as they would have to wait on a "musical" Tps move before testing a group Tps. Whether they will use such a routine is apparently not known but it seems they have vacated enough Tps to do such a thing.

I believe they can test all 32 TPs on E-15 even the TPs being used for spotbeams with a some shuffling. This is because all the spots currently being provided by E-12 have at least one spotbeam TP that is not being used in spotbeam mode specifically TP 17, 19, 21 or 23. So for example if Dish wants to test TP 1 that is currently used for spots on E-12, all the local programming being provided on that TP could be moved to one of those four TPs within that spot. The downlink report when this testing is done should be interesting including whether E-12 can use TP 17 in spotbeam mode since there appears to be some question whether it still can.

 

[JohnH]

I don't believe those emptu spot Tps will work for all the other spots. Anyway there enough empty ConUS Tps to fill in.