Astra 2E: On Hold At 43.5E

[cazhh]

that now also proves that the cob data is not derived from their ephemeris data but from the "planned" position somewhere in their management system

 

[Pietclock]

1H is now stationary at 19.6°E:

YEAR  MONTH  DAY  HOUR  MINUTE  SECOND
2014  01     08   22    15      00

THE EPHEMERIS VALUES ARE:

LM0             LM1            
DEG. E          DEG/DAY         
19.6240       -0.0130

 

[solly]

now astra 1h 19.5e
astra 2e not move yet

 

[M60]

now astra 1h 19.5e
astra 2e not move yet

As Pietclock mentions, it's most likely now that 1H is now on station at 19.6E, perhaps Llew can confirm if he can see the beacon stationary or if it's still moving West?

 

[peeter3000]

yes ,it stays on 19.57E
YEAR MONTH DAY HOUR MINUTE SECOND
2014 01 08 19 30 00
LM0 LM1 LM2
DEG. E DEG/DAY
19.5823 -0.0076
---------------------
THE PREDICTED SATELLITE LONGITUDE AND LATITUDE AT 170 HOURS AFTER
EPOCH ARE 19.5725 DEG. E AND 0.4904 DEG. N

 

[M60]

So now.... The $64,000 question is... Will 2E start transitioning now 1H is back at 19.2E. Let's wait and find out!

 

[ExIcom]

@Llew: always the same thing: the TLE data has not been updated yet, so the slowing manoevre is not taken into account. The more recent SES data however shows 1H to be slowing down.
I think tonight we will get confirmation it is stationary at 19.6 East.
The only logical conclusion right now is 19.6 is 1H's "retirement home". Similar to 2D's 28.0 - it's near the regular position, so they are not occupying any other slot and can control it there until they send it into graveyard.

Where is the "graveyard"

 

[sonnetpete]

An orbit above geostationary...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graveyard_orbit

 

[ExIcom]

An orbit above geostationary...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graveyard_orbit

so does it just dissappear into space eventually?

 

[Pietclock]

They wish... it's a problem. The junk gets more and more.... it's a technical history museum already up there. If you could go up and fly around there.

 

[Huevos]

so does it just dissappear into space eventually?

Yes. Everything below geostationary falls back to earth, and everything above is lost to space... but it takes thousands of years, for example the moon is above geostationary and we are gradually losing it by a couple of centimetres a year.

 

[solly]

let see now if astra 2b return to slot 19.2e or move to anader location soon

 

[PaulR]

... for example the moon is above geostationary and we are gradually losing it by a couple of centimetres a year.

Indeed - there will come a time when the moon is too far away for a total eclipse of the sun and we (or rather our much distant descendants) will only get annular eclipses.

Going back in time it also means that total eclipses could last much longer than they do now.

 

[Pietclock]

let see now if astra 2b return to slot 19.2e or move to anader location soon

Why that? Astra 1H is not usable for DTH there. Its presence has no effect regarding those other satellites at 19.2-19.6 East. 2B is a backup, because two satellites have potential problems with their sun collectors (1L and 1KR).

 

[solly]

what about 2c also problem sallite need to replace very soon
?

 

[Lazarus]

As far as we know, 1N is still destined to go to work at 19E.

But that requires 2E to be burning and turning at 28E.


Does anyone have a Chicken?








Or an Egg?

 

[Pietclock]

what about 2c also problem sallite need to replace very soon
?

yes, there are some worries for SES at 19.2 East - that's why it is so odd they let 2E idle around at 43.5 for so long. They really need 1N at 19.2 - and lets not forget, it should have been already there for months. There are some strange things going on behind the scenes, but of course they won't tell us... but it is noteworthy, they had to mention the sun collector problems in one of their official reports. Things are not going entirely to plan. We just dont know how many problems they actually have.

 

[solly]

@Pietclock
we know ses worry the slot 19.2e
that why astra 2b waiting 11 month on 19.4e
the 2b have 30 tp
not have too much transponder to replace 2c,1l,1kr
maybe it waiting 1n also to move to 19.2e and replace both 3 satellite

 

[timo_w2s]

With all this talk about possible problems with 1L and 1KR makes me a little concerned for 2G's final destination (the only new satellite with semi-decent coverage in southern Finland). Could 2G end up at 19.2E like 2C? The wider 2G Euro-beam certainly would be make it more suitable for use at 19.2E than 2F and 2E and I suspect that is no accident...

 

[Huevos]

that requires 2E to be burning and turning at 28E.

Once it completes its temporary mission at 31.5E.