Horizons 2 Launch

[photoman76]

Arianespace is scheduled to launch Horizons 2 tomorrow. The launch window is between 4:14 and 4:58 PM EST.

Horizons 2 will replace Galaxy 17 at 74 degrees West. Galaxy 17 will then move to 91 degrees West and replace Galaxy 11.

Arianespace

 

[Keith Brannen]

Horizons 2 will replace Galaxy 17 at 74 degrees West. Galaxy 17 will then move to 91 degrees West and replace Galaxy 11.

Great... just got use to the change from SBS6 to Galaxy 17, and now will get really messed up with them moving it to replace Galaxy 11. Only thing that will make me happy is if I see a very noticable increase in signal quality!

 

[photoman76]

My Galaxy 11 ku is pretty weak, so I'm hoping for an improvement when Galaxy 17 gets there.

 

[Woofle]

Duh question

Arianespace is scheduled to launch Horizons 2 tomorrow. The launch window is between 4:14 and 4:58 PM EST.

Horizons 2 will replace Galaxy 17 at 74 degrees West. Galaxy 17 will then move to 91 degrees West and replace Galaxy 11.

Arianespace

OK, I have a "duh" question. Why do they move satellites around?

I mean, doesn't that require a lot of fuel be carried on the satellites?
And why not just put the new satellite where it's needed, and continue using the older bird until it's worn out where it sits?

I dunno. It just seems like it's doing things the hard way...

 

[qwert1515]

In this case I believe it was because:

When Galaxy 17 was launched it was suppose to replace G11 at 91 degrees west, but SBS6 was getting weaker and Galaxy 11 was ok at the time so they temporarily replaced SBS6.

Now Horizons 2 (originally intended to replace SBS6) is being launched and it will take its planned position at 74 degrees West and Galaxy 17 will move to its originally planned position at 91 degrees West.

The reason to move the satellite is probably due to each satellites capabilities, and what it was designed to do.

-EDIT-

Horizons 2 is a Ku-Band only satellite (20 Ku-band transponders), SBS 6 was a Ku Band only Satellite.
Galaxy 17 is a C/Ku Band Satellite (24 Ku-band and 24 C-band transponders), Galaxy 11 is a C/Ku Band Satellite.

It makes sense to replace like satellites.

-EDIT-

Horizons 2 has a CONUS and East Coast only beam (I am on the West Coast, so I hope they turn the satellite upside down )

Source: Jsati Horizons-2

 

[scottc98]

That east coast bean covers all of Ohio. I hope those west coasters don't loose ONN

 

[jayelem]

That east coast beam covers all of Ohio. I hope those west coasters don't loose ONN

Kind of wish the line hit closer to the Mississippi because the Midwest would lose out on anything in this footprint.

 

[linuxman]

Looks like St. Louis is just on the border of the outer fringe of the East Coast footprint.

But yes Chicago is definitely out of the picture Jayelem.

 

[SatinKzo]

damnit, That east coast beam is even missing me in southern Michgian. Curse you Horizons 2!

 

[Davage]

How quickly does the Ku signal drop off? Could a 36" or 39" dish pick it up just outside the published footprint?

 

[satcustomer]

Why would people on the West Coast lose ONN? Doesn't CONUS mean that it'll cover the entire U.S.?

 

[qwert1515]

How quickly does the Ku signal drop off? Could a 36" or 39" dish pick it up just outside the published footprint?

I live a little bit North-West of Los Angeles, By smart searching the Echostar 8.6 satellite at 110 degrees West (Because it has Ku-band spot beams for local channels (They are encrypted) and the Circular satellites signals are very strong) with my 36" dish I get a good signal strength from the San Diego Beam (~150 Miles SE of my location) and I get a bad signal from the Palm Springs Beam (~90 Miles W of my location).

With my Channel Master 4228 UHF OTA antenna aimed towards the Palm Springs or San Diego transmitters, I can receive some channels OTA from both locations.

Also since Circular signals are much stronger than FTA Linear signals the results (Example above) shows the "best case".

EDIT - I get similar results with my 1.2 Meter dish.

Why would people on the West Coast lose ONN? Doesn't CONUS mean that it'll cover the entire U.S.?

The new satellite has a Conus beam and a East Coast Only Beam.
Since ONN is mainly broadcasted for stations in Ohio and Ohio is completely covered by the East Coast Only Beam.
We are guessing that they will use the East Coast Only Beam.

 

[photoman76]

I think what is conus now will remain conus. The East Coast beam on Horizons 2 is new and provides additional coverage that SBS 6 did not have. It looks to be mainly for the Caribbean and maritime use. But then again, maybe it's wishful thinking on my part since I'm in California.

http://www.intelsat.com/_files/resources/satellites/H-2-factsheet.pdf

 

[goaliebob99]

Why in the world would you make an east cost beam. To me is seems very stupid, unless you were planning to do spot beaming and reusing the frequency. But it looks like that is not happening. Its a waste of space.

 

[photoman76]

The launch was successful.

Intelsat, JSAT Relationship Reaches New Milestone with Successful Horizons 2 Launch

"Horizons 2 will provide occasional use video and IP-based content distribution for the continental United States, the Caribbean and parts of Canada. Through a specialized capability, the satellite will support a number of comms-on-the-move applications for government customers. Its unique boomerang beam will support littoral water operations off the U.S. eastern seaboard for homeland security, ship-to-shore communications and cargo tracking."

 

[qwert1515]

"Horizons 2 will provide occasional use video and IP-based content distribution for the continental United States, the Caribbean and parts of Canada. Through a specialized capability, the satellite will support a number of comms-on-the-move applications for government customers. Its unique boomerang beam will support littoral water operations off the U.S. eastern seaboard for homeland security, ship-to-shore communications and cargo tracking."

So according to this (I hope ) the Eastern Beam will only be used for Government customers, water operations, ship-to-shore and cargo tracking.

 

[photoman76]

Not exactly. Services to Canada and the Caribbean would also have to use the East Coast beam.

 

[bloomdog]

What about programming? What will be carried on the new bird? the moved-over bird?

 

[qwert1515]

Most likely the programing will stay the same as on the current satellites. (Mainly Feeds on the KU side)

 

[Mr Tony]

programming will stay the same on both. They're just replacing a couple old satellites