New Satellite to be Built

[rdinkel]

Press Release Source: Space Systems/Loral


Space Systems/Loral Wins Contract to Build Direct Broadcast Satellite for EchoStar
Wednesday January 24, 3:04 pm ET
EchoStar XIV Satellite Will Increase Capacity, Flexibility of EchoStar's DISH Network(TM)


PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications (Nasdaq: LORL - News) and the world's leading provider of high-power commercial satellites, today announced that it has been awarded a contract to manufacture a new direct broadcast satellite (DBS) for EchoStar Orbital Corporation II, a subsidiary of EchoStar Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH - News). EchoStar XIV will provide expanded services and flexibility for DISH Network's more than 13 million direct-to-home (DTH) television subscribers.

 

[navychop]

OK, XI is to be launched this year; XII is what once was named Rainbow 1. Is XIII being launched in 2008?

Any word on 13/14 being spot beams, or anything about what kind of satellites they are, or their capabilities?

And yes- thanks for the info you posted.

 

[Stargazer]

It would be a shame if their subscriber base plummeted before it got done/launched.

 

[KE4EST]

This is going to be a interesting year to see what happens between E* and Directv, with HD.

Well probaly the 2007 and 2008.

 

[cforrest]

Well Echostar 14 will probably launch in 2009, if the current rate of Echostar 11 is an accurate timeline.

Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) announced in December 2004 that it has been selected by EchoStar Communications Corporation, Englewood, Colo., to build EchoStar XI, a new direct broadcast satellite (DBS) based on SS/Ls LS-1300 platform that will support EchoStars DISH Network and serve as backup to its existing fleet.

EchoStar XI, anticipated to be delivered in early 2007, will be the fifth SS/L-built satellite in the EchoStar fleet.

From: http://space.skyrocket.de/index_frame.htm?http://www.skyrocket.de/space/doc_sdat/echostar-11.htm

 

[mdonnelly]

I'm guessing there won't be an Echostar 13.

 

[Poke]

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070124/nyw128.html?.v=84

There are currently three SS/L-built satellites on orbit in the EchoStar fleet.

EchoStar XIV is based on SS/L's 1300 platform, which features qualified, flight proven subsystems and a long record of reliable operation. Its high efficiency solar arrays and lightweight batteries are designed to provide uninterrupted electrical power. In all, SS/L satellites have amassed more than 1,300 years of reliable on-orbit service.

 

[Poke]

http://www.ssloral.com/html/products/1300.html

1300 Series Satellite Platform


The 1300, an industry leader in power, performance, and reliability, is a space-proven platform for a wide range of satellite services. The 1300 was first introduced in the mid-1980s and has been in constant evolutionary development to deliver increasingly higher power, greater flexibility, and longer mission life, keeping SS/L in the forefront of satellite technology.

The versatile 1300 series has a total satellite power capability ranging from 5 to 25 kW continuously throughout the life of the spacecraft, and can support from as few as 12 active transponders to as many as 150 transponders.

SS/L's 1300 features a lightweight and high-strength structure, fuel-efficient attitude and stationkeeping subsystems, high efficiency and reliable solar arrays and batteries, and advanced command and control subsystems.

SS/L manufactures the 1300 in our state-of-art facility in Palo Alto, California. Integration of components into payload and bus subsystems, as well as satellite system level testing, are all performed in this location with highly efficient and well-established processes. This centralized production philosophy coupled with colocated subsystem and systems engineering resources enables SS/L to deliver reliable satellites on a dependable schedule