So when was the last time there were 3 or less Proton launches in a calendar year?
Echostar hasn't changed the launch date yet on their website:http://www.echostar.com/launch.aspx#xxi
Launch Date*: Delayed for further launch vehicle testing; new date to be confirmed by ILS & Khrunichev
Launch *EchoStar-XXI - Proton-M/Briz-M (93702/99571) - Baikonur, 81/24*- was delayed again per forum NK:http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum14/topic14042/message1607830/#message1607830The new dates are Feb-6 to Feb-12
Quote from: anik on 12/23/2016 12:49 pmQuote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 12/23/2016 12:42 pmThe launch has now slipped into NET January (with one of the Proton stages apparently requiring transport back to the Moscow plant for repairs!): http://www.roscosmos.ru/23073/Where is an information about stage's return to Moscow and about launch in NET January in Roskosmos press-release?Whoops, I saw that the official release only mentioned a delay; it was Anatoly Zak who reported that based on posts on your forum.
Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 12/23/2016 12:42 pmThe launch has now slipped into NET January (with one of the Proton stages apparently requiring transport back to the Moscow plant for repairs!): http://www.roscosmos.ru/23073/Where is an information about stage's return to Moscow and about launch in NET January in Roskosmos press-release?
The launch has now slipped into NET January (with one of the Proton stages apparently requiring transport back to the Moscow plant for repairs!): http://www.roscosmos.ru/23073/
By December 23, the satellite had already been integrated with the launch vehicle, when an unspecified technical problem in the first stage of the rocket, discovered around a week before the planned liftoff, forced to postpone the mission until January 2017, at the earliest. According to industry sources, a failed component would be replaced at the launch site.
From the "Plan of Russian Space Launches (part 2)" thread:Quote from: smoliarm on 01/21/2017 09:31 pmLaunch *EchoStar-XXI - Proton-M/Briz-M (93702/99571) - Baikonur, 81/24*- was delayed again per forum NK:http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum14/topic14042/message1607830/#message1607830The new dates are Feb-6 to Feb-12***Also, I'm unclear about the 1st stage repairs for this flight. Are the repairs being done at Baikonur, or has the first stage been returned to its manufacturer for repair?RussianSpaceWeb says here, as of this posting:QuoteBy December 23, the satellite had already been integrated with the launch vehicle, when an unspecified technical problem in the first stage of the rocket, discovered around a week before the planned liftoff, forced to postpone the mission until January 2017, at the earliest. According to industry sources, a failed component would be replaced at the launch site.
To add If problem cannot be resolved the first stage will be swapped with another assembled one.
Quote from: russianhalo117 on 01/22/2017 06:29 pmTo add If problem cannot be resolved the first stage will be swapped with another assembled one.Ouch!Are there any Proton first stages available for swapping at Baikonur, or will one have to be shipped in?(With the delays after the Intelsat 31 incident with the 2nd stage, I wonder if 1st stage production would continue unabated, followed by shipment of said 1st stages to Baikonur.)
Quote from: zubenelgenubi on 01/22/2017 06:54 pmQuote from: russianhalo117 on 01/22/2017 06:29 pmTo add If problem cannot be resolved the first stage will be swapped with another assembled one.Ouch!Are there any Proton first stages available for swapping at Baikonur, or will one have to be shipped in?(With the delays after the Intelsat 31 incident with the 2nd stage, I wonder if 1st stage production would continue unabated, followed by shipment of said 1st stages to Baikonur.)There are a few in Baikonur but question is are they the same phase
Quote from: russianhalo117 on 01/22/2017 07:09 pmQuote from: zubenelgenubi on 01/22/2017 06:54 pmQuote from: russianhalo117 on 01/22/2017 06:29 pmTo add If problem cannot be resolved the first stage will be swapped with another assembled one.Ouch!Are there any Proton first stages available for swapping at Baikonur, or will one have to be shipped in?(With the delays after the Intelsat 31 incident with the 2nd stage, I wonder if 1st stage production would continue unabated, followed by shipment of said 1st stages to Baikonur.)There are a few in Baikonur but question is are they the same phaseGiven the satellite mass from Gunter's Space Page, almost 6900 kg, and a GTO delivery, I conclude this launch must have a Phase IV Proton-M/Briz-M launcher. There may not be any "spares" of this newest phase at hand?To follow further, what is the "phase" of other, possibly available Proton-M's? Phase III? And which phase will the upcoming Blok DM-03 upper stage launches use?
Even if this delay won't stop, will EchoStar still want EchoStar 21 to be launched atop Proton?I ask that because they tend to change launch vehicles if the delay is too much. What if they ask ULA to use one of their Atlas Vs in the near future?
Quote from: ZachS09 on 01/24/2017 03:33 pmEven if this delay won't stop, will EchoStar still want EchoStar 21 to be launched atop Proton?I ask that because they tend to change launch vehicles if the delay is too much. What if they ask ULA to use one of their Atlas Vs in the near future?Its possible, but it becomes more difficult to transport a previously fueled spacecraft as some cargo airlines do not allow spacecraft matching those circumstances or it become costly and restrictive to do so.
Quote from: russianhalo117 on 01/24/2017 04:19 pmQuote from: ZachS09 on 01/24/2017 03:33 pmEven if this delay won't stop, will EchoStar still want EchoStar 21 to be launched atop Proton?I ask that because they tend to change launch vehicles if the delay is too much. What if they ask ULA to use one of their Atlas Vs in the near future?Its possible, but it becomes more difficult to transport a previously fueled spacecraft as some cargo airlines do not allow spacecraft matching those circumstances or it become costly and restrictive to do so.Remind me: how long has EchoStar 21 been fueled?
Quote from: ZachS09 on 01/24/2017 07:32 pmQuote from: russianhalo117 on 01/24/2017 04:19 pmQuote from: ZachS09 on 01/24/2017 03:33 pmEven if this delay won't stop, will EchoStar still want EchoStar 21 to be launched atop Proton?I ask that because they tend to change launch vehicles if the delay is too much. What if they ask ULA to use one of their Atlas Vs in the near future?Its possible, but it becomes more difficult to transport a previously fueled spacecraft as some cargo airlines do not allow spacecraft matching those circumstances or it become costly and restrictive to do so.Remind me: how long has EchoStar 21 been fueled?Preparations for fuelling started on November 27, 2016 and fuel loading was completed on December 14, 2016.