Astra 2E launch may be delayed (Proton M Launch Failure: Merged)

[Analoguesat]

2E is due to launch on a Proton from Baikonur early next year.

However last nights Yamal 402 launch on an identical Proton was a partial failure - the final stage didnt perform correctly (again!) and has left the bird stranded in a useless orbit.

There are always failure review boards after these events which delay subsequent launches. I cant see the December 27th Satmex 8 launch going ahead now, and that will impact on the Anik G1, Eutel 7B, & Express AM5 launches. All these are in the Baikonur queue before 2E.

So do SES wait for a delayed Proton slot, or do they try to slot 2E onto a Ariane????

 

[andrewcrawford]

I have a feel they will go with ariane they seem to bne more reliable

 

[C0re]

Therefore probably more expensive...

 

[Analoguesat]

Last rtime Ariane dropped a bird it was Stentor/Hottie 7 in 2002 on flight v157

 

[andrewcrawford]

Therefore probably more expensive...

yip and if they choose ariane again that will say something that there needing either 2e there asap because of 2a or 2b failing or because they need those two as backup somewhere else one of the birds might be failing, or any the other birds they have there just temporary as back to 2a/2b/1n and 2f jsut now

 

[dxhound2003]

The other thread about Yamal is saying it's orbit is going to be corrected but it will result in a shorter lifespan.

 

[andrewcrawford]

The other thread about Yamal is saying it's orbit is going to be corrected but it will result in a shorter lifespan.

yeah i wouldnt expect a bird to have it same lifespan if they have to use more fuel to correct it orbit, that why if they develop a bird that could correct itself via eletrcity from solar panels they might be in luck

 

[solly]

will be next few days more info about proton scedual launch what will be
if it delyed launch can be month or more to found problem from roket
let hope not change time of launch

 

[Gunes]

Express-AM5 launch is not expected before 2E.
2E possibliy will shift April or May.
Ariane backlog is full until September 2013.

 

[Analoguesat]

It will cause delays solly - there wont be any more Proton launches until the cause has been determined by the Failure Review Board.

And they need to look at this carefully as this is the third faulty launch caused by Breeze M problems in 18 months

August 2011 - Express AM4 left in useless orbit after Breeze M failure. AM4 was destroyed by de-orbiting in March 2012
August 2012 - Express MD2 & Telkom 3 left in wrong orbits after Btreeze M failure. To make matters worse the Breeze M exploded on October 16th leaving a hazardous debris cloud

www.spaceflight101.com/proton-launch-updates-express-md2-telkom-3.html

December 2012 - Yamal 402 left in wrong orbit after Breeze M shutdown 4 minutes early.

 

[Analoguesat]

Express-AM5 launch is not expected before 2E.
2E possibliy will shift April or May.
Ariane backlog is full until September 2013.

Fair enough - I looked at the Lyngsat launch list which obviously needs updating

And no launch manifest is set in stone - money talks & it wouldnt be the first time a satellite has been bounced onto a later slot.

 

[davidcmadrid]

I found a news report that says they can get the satellite back on track with 2 burns.

" Experts believe two additional engine firings of the propulsion system will be required to place the Yamal 402 communications satellite in its desired orbit, "

_ttp://www.examiner.com/article/engineers-announce-recovery-plan-for-yamal-402-satellite?cid=rss

 

[welshman234]

I wasnt sure whether to start a new thread on this or post here- but here goes. What will be different about the UK Astra 2E and 2G spotbeams compared to the Astra 2F one?

Is current successful reception of the, albeit limited, offerings on the Astra 2F spot a likely indicator of successful future reception of the 2E and 2G spots?

 

[Analoguesat]

Thats the $100,000 question. We reckon current reception is a likely indicator, although as the craft will be located a few dozen miles away from 2F there are bound to be very slight coverage differences in extreme fringe areas even if the downlink dishes are absolutely identical on all 3 craft

 

[welshman234]

Have there been any other satellites launched to the same orbital position but all with the same spotbeams as far as you are aware?

 

[Analoguesat]

Cant think of any with spots - the nearest I can think of were some of the old Eutelsats (Hotbird 2-5) were nominally identical. However I dont think there really was really much interest in the variations between them in extreme fringe areas as the beam coverage was so wide anyway

 

[welshman234]

Thanks AS I googled this too and didnt come up with anything either........ I guess that it will be the lower frequencies which will be the more difficult ones to get outside the UK. It maybe that all the BBC channels end up on the lowest frequencies on perhaps 2E making it the future holy grail for the expats.....whereas ITV etc end up staying on 2F at their current frequencies ....who knows?

 

[tothbros]

lets hope, there won't be too much space on 2E&G UK spot beams, because then even sky might move from PE to UK beams - and that would truly be a dark day for us

 

[skomedal]

lets hope, there won't be too much space on 2E&G UK spot beams, because then even sky might move from PE to UK beams - and that would truly be a dark day for us

No chance sly relies on grey zone customers ( read expats ) with subssssssssssssssssssss

 

[Analoguesat]

Looking at the provisional footprint maps for the Pan European beams there are going to be some unhappy Sky subscribers in some areas - the main coverage area is western Europe, not Pan Europe!