Galaxy12 moving to 129.

[nelson61]

Space News claims Intelsat lost control/contact of Galaxy 15 on April 5th. The transponders are continuing to function. Hopefully they will regain control.

They have put out a press release announcing intended transfer of sevices to Galaxy 12 and made a filing yesterday stating Galaxy 15 will drift approximately 0.8 degrees by May 10.

 

[rocco_fanucci]

If Intelsat can't command the G15 spacecraft, it will interfere with AMC-11, which operates on the same frequencies. It's more than a simple "hot swap" of customers.

If you can't command the spacecraft, you can't turn off transponders after bifurcating with G12. You can't get it to a "graveyard" orbit either. Eventually, it will begin to drift out of its box and interfere with adjacent spacecraft.

I got it here: We Have A Problem | Really Rocket Science

 

[Jim S.]

SES-1 is based on the same hardware? That's just wonderful... I'm glad they didn't launch it yet.

 

[pendragon]

You can't get it to a "graveyard" orbit either.

I'm not so sure. It was my understanding there is normally a separate, independent payload that can move the bird to a graveyard orbit in failure scenarios such as this.

 

[Blindowl1234]

Guess they could blow it up maybe....we surely have plenty of rockets sitting around don't we? Sorry just the mad scientist in me wanting to come out....Blind

 

[rocco_fanucci]

They have no control; cannot send commands. It's like have a PC with no keyboard or mouse.

 

[nelson61]

I'm not so sure. It was my understanding there is normally a separate, independent payload that can move the bird to a graveyard orbit in failure scenarios such as this.

Typical FCC requirement is to hold about 7 -15 kg of fuel in reserve to lift the satellite 300 km at end of life. No special systems.

They apparantly had some type of failure in the station keeping system. Could be fuel, could be computer, could be anything and only appears to affect station keeping.

5 years old and probable in place cost of something like 300 million dollars

 

[Mr Tony]

merged threads

 

[photoman76]

Looks like they have not been able to regain control of Galaxy 15 and are making plans to try and disable the communications payload beginning on May 3rd.


http://licensing.fcc.gov/myibfs/download.do?attachment_key=812520