Express AM1 junked

Analoguesat

Analoguesat

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My Satellite Setup
TM 5402HD
Sky+ UK.
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Scottish Borders
The Russian bird AM1 (ex 40E) has finally been withdrawn from service and sent on her final journey to the graveyard orbit.

http://eng.rscc.ru/100/177/432.html

Shes a fairly new satellite - launched as recently as 2004, but I think AM1 suffered thruster system failure a few years ago and has been running inclined ever since..

So what is going to replace AM1? Theres nothing obvious moving towards 40E atm.
 
Astra 1E was already near 36 East this morning.
Suppose there is no placeholder needed for 40 East.
Express AM7 launch is planned in September 2014.
 
It will be interesting to see how long Astra 1E lasts for. Not long I expect.
 
Astra 1C is still nominally operational at 2E - shes over 20 years old now!

(Heavily inclined & off air for several years I doubt theres much chance of the old girl doing anything interesting in the future but you never know)
 
Like an old lady with a zimmer frame hobbling around.

Send up a high powered feed in DVB-S2 1080p and it will likely explode!
 
According TLE, seems that Astra 1E is now positioned at about 31.25 East.
 
According TLE (again), Astra 1E has stopped her movement away from 31.25°E, and stopped at about 23.7°E.
Inclination is 3.8°.
If Astra 1E (launched 1995) is going to do anything at all, then probably between 10.7 and 11.2 GHz.
In the past as I recall, the oldies near 23.5°E used to switch on a transponder with test card or RTL Letzeburg.
 
Astra 1E left 23.75°E and is moving to the West rapidly at altitude over 36100 km.
This is well into graveyard altitude, but couldn't find a message yet that it's end-of -life.
 
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