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SAT Observations 97.10.31
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A news release from Cairo, Egypt, located at 30.3 North - 31.15 East,
sponsored by TELE-SATELLIT INTERNATIONAL, Europes Satellite Magazine.
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THE HEADLINES IN THIS 97.10.31 REPORT:
"We're not here to amuse the crowds - we'll go only when we're ready !"
(Aerospatiale spokesperson on 17/09/97)
AND BEAUTIFULLY UP IT WENT ...
Congratulations to all involved for the last ten years !
- Launch Information
- Ariane 502
- PcK Stories
- Bits & Pieces
- More Bits & Pieces
- The Pampers Outgrown ?
LAUNCH INFORMATION, http://www.satcodx.com/launches.shtml
------------------
The Sirius 2/Cakrawarta 1 combination will be launched with Ariane V102
on 10 November, instead of the preliminary date of 7 November. A launch
window opens at 23:48 until 24:33 CAT.
(SATCO DX, source: NSAB)
The first of the long awaited Kupon launches will finally take place
from the Baikonur spaceport in Kasachstan on 12/11/97 using a Proton
launch system. A designated location was not mentioned in the report.
ARIANE 5 FLIGHT SUCCESSFUL
--------------------------
The second flight of an Ariane 5 rocket was successful after lift-off on
Thursday, October 30, from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Guiana
Space Center at 15:43 CAT - Central African Time -.
This was an experimental mission to measure flight parameters of the
Ariane 5 since its first flight on June 4, 1996 exploded 37 seconds
after launch.
Two instrument platforms onboard the flight, MaqSat-H (2,300 kg) and
MaqSat B (1,400 kg), simulate large satellites and are equipped with
instruments and sensors that will measure the actual environment to be
encountered by future Ariane 5 flights.
(SME, source ISIR)
ARIANE 502 A GREAT SUCCESS
--------------------------
Esa News Release:
"The European new-generation launcher Ariane 5 successfully lifted off
today from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's Space Port, in Kourou,
French Guiana at 10:43 a.m; Kourou time (01:43 p.m. GMT, 02.43 p.m. CET)
seven seconds after ignition of the Vulcain engine that powers the main
stage.
"The two solid propellant boosters lifted the Ariane 5 launcher during
the first part of the flight before separating from the main stage. The
fairing that shrouds the payload during ascent phase was jettisoned
three minutes after lift-off. Final injection was performed by the
storable propellant stage, which ignited ten minutes after lift-off.
"The first flight data from the launcher are under analysis. In-depth
analysis of flight data will be performed in the coming weeks at CNES,
the French space agency to which ESA has delegated management of its
Ariane 5 programme, and by European contractors working on the
programme."
Aerospatiale News Release:
Aerospatiale applaudes the success of the qualification flight of Ariane
5. The launch, witnessed with anticipation by the entire European space
community fulfilled all expectations.
Aerospatiale played the major technical role in the Ariane 5 program as
industrial architect and principle stage contractor. Its
responsibilities include piloting the development program, technical
direction, studies engineering and testing for the complete launcher,
and the delivery of the flight program. Michel Delaye* said: "We have
just experienced a great moment, which has well rewarded our efforts.
Aerospatiale is the architect of this success. The European space
industry has met this new challenge, necessary for its further
development and full of potential. Ariane is a symbol of European
excellence. Now, with confidence, we will begin preparations for the
third qualification flight that will carry the Atmospheric Reentry
Demonstrator built by Aerospatiale, a capsule designed to show our
skills in the fields of reentry, high precision guidance and control,
parachute landing and recuperation."
As stage contractor, Aerospatiale builds the main cryogenic stage (EPC)
in Les Mureaux (near Paris), and the solid booster stages (EAP) in
French Guiana. The company also provides other elements incuding tanks
built in its Aquitaine center near Bordeaux.
Since the first design study 15 years ago, more than 800 employees of
Aerospatiale have contributed to today's success. Aerospatiale led a
team of 240 European companies in 12 European countries, a brilliant
example of international industrial cooperation. Aerospatiale will
immediately begin the post flight data analysis of the Ariane 502 flight
with the European Space Agency, responsible for overall program
supervision, and the French space agency, CNES, prime contractor. Then,
preparations for the second qualification flight, Ariane 503, foreseen
for spring 1998, will begin.
Ariane 5 will maintain Europe's position as world leader for commercial
satellite launches to geostationary orbit, and will enable Europe to
actively participate in space activities in the XXIst century.
* Corporate Executive Vice-President Aerospatiale Group, President of
Space and Defense Business.
(SME, various sources)
INTELSAT INSIDE OUT
-------------------
What to do with a satellite that cannot tell its own altitude following
an anomaly in its telemetry system? This is what happened to Intelsat
605. Engineers have now come up with an innovative solution.
First of all: there's not much wrong with the bird. The anomaly
experienced on September 11 did not affect the commanding, payload or
ranging/orbit determination capabilities of the spacecraft. The
spacecraft is still receiving commands and executing them. The
autonomous functioning of the spacecraft -- that is, its ability to
operate routinely without ground intervention -- also has not been
affected, Intelsat said in a statement.
"The major effect that we have experienced is in the area of spacecraft
orbital attitude information," says Steve Stott, Intelsat Director of
Satellite Engineering Support & Processes. "Therefore, since we can't
get it from the spacecraft, we have devised a method to get it from the
ground."
So, how high is it? To find out, a series of ground-based software
monitoring programs were installed at selected ground stations at beam
edge. They measure the RF signal strength and calculate the actual
attitude of Intelsat 605 from it. According to Intelsat, this method is
accurate enough to prevent any impact on services carried on the
spacecraft.
"We believe that the solution we have devised will allow us to utilise
this important resource within our system with total confidence in its
performance integrity," stated Conny Kullman, Intelsat Vice President of
Operations and Engineering.
The missing telemetry does not affect the spacecraft in any other way.
It automatically stays in a spin-stabilised configuration with its solar
arrays pointing towards the sun without any intervention.
© Copyright 1997 by Sat-ND
http://www.lynet.de/~pck/
http://www.sat-net.com/pck/
NEW CHANNEL, NEW HOPES
----------------------
Nigerian papers said DAAR will launch its African Independent Television
(AIT) International on "one of the newest" Intelsat satellites next
Monday, November 3. The satellites location was not reported, 57 East
would be a place to start an intensive search.
AIT will initially broadcast its 24-hour satellite service to Africa,
Europe, Carribeans, USA and Asia in English but later expand its
audience by introducing French, Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili and Hausa
language programs.
There's a bit more on DAAR Communciations, which has kept me busy for
two and a half years now. No technical details, unfortunately, but it
seems as if in addition to Nigeria's international TV channel AIT, there
will also be a "round-the-clock musical satellite broadcast" to be
launched simultaneously on November 3. Not a complete surprise as DAAR,
AIT's owner, has so far been known only for operating a radio station
with the interesting name of Ray Power FM in Lagos, Nigeria.
And what about the TV channel? "We shall present to the world a
programme slant that seeks to integrate the world's positive values,"
the executive chairman of DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, told a
press conference. "We shall offer Africa's past and present from an
original perspective. It is only Africans themselves that can project
the image of their continent," he said.
Three earth stations and two fly-away kits were acquired to broadcast
events as they happen. Dokpesi added that his organisation would soon
link up with the Internet.
However, there is a very interesting sentence in a report by PANA (which
probably means Pan African News Agency.) Dokpesi, it said, "urged
Africans to contribute to the project through subscription." Sure sounds
like pay-TV to me.
© Copyright 1997 by Sat-ND
http://www.lynet.de/~pck/
http://www.sat-net.com/pck/
PALAPA C2, 113 East, http://www.satcodx.com/palapac2.html
---------
On 25 October, Baztab started here on 3.800 GHz, H, PAL, instead of the
last week announced Intelsat 602 transmissions. No reason for the
non-appearance was given.
(SME, Fareed Al-Gurg)
THAICOM 3, 78.5 East, http://www.satcodx.com/thai3.html
---------
Vietnamese channel VTV 1/3 has ceased analogue on 3.572 GHz, H,
therefore a new digital package from the same tranponder using 3.560
GHz, H, MPEG-2, clear, SR 22908, FEC 3/4, could be determined with this
line-up:
VPID APID Channel
4200 428C Army TV Channel 5
4201 428D TVT Channel 11
4202 428E Raj TV
4203 428F Vijay TV
4204 429C SCTV
4205 428F ABN - Asia Business News
4206 429D MTV
A frequency of 12.666 GHz was stored when searching with a Nokia
Mediamaster 9200-S FTA for the package above! The initial line up
changed after a day to:
4200 408C Army TV Channel 5
4201 408D TVT Channel 11
4202 408E Vijay TV
4203 408F Raj TV
4204 4090 colour bars
4205 4091 colour bars
4206 4092 colour bars
The package ceased on Tuesday, but is expected to return however with a
different channel line.
The reason that analogue and digital transmissions have been on and off
is that they are still in a "demonstration period".
There will be some additional tests of two "half-TV/FM carriers" on
transponder 1E through 5E using the regional beams from 29 October to 28
November. During the tests, only some or one of the transponders will be
active and the carriers might not be activated all the time. Any
reception reports are very welcome. Please include location, dish size.
Frequency range of each transponder is as follows:
1E 3.407 - 3.443 V
2E 3.447 - 3.483 V
3E 3.487 - 3.523 V
4E 3.527 - 3.563 V
5E 3.567 - 3.603 V
Wednesday afternoon could on 3.538 GHz, V, and 3.558 GHz, V, a color
bars test card be seen.
(SME, SATCO DX)
APSTAR 2R, 76.5 East, http://www.satcodx.com/apstar2r.html
---------
Apstar 2R has reached its final geostationary orbit at 76.5 East.
In-orbit tests have started on 28 October, initially on the Ku-Band.
The satellite will after the tests immediately be put in commercial
service.
Any reception reports are very welcome. Please include location, dish
size.
(SATCO DX)
The transponder layout and links to the footprints were made available
in the SAT Observations 97.10.24.
PANAMSAT 4, 68.4 East, http://www.satcodx.com/pas4.html
----------
ATN - Asian Television Network - dissapeared another time this year from
4.155 GHz, H. Another broken pipe, or just broken down with the
stock-markets ?
BBC World changed its on screen logo to the square format on 3.864 GHz,
V, as it will have done all over the world, I assume.
The SHOWTIME DStv bouquet was again free-to-air, from Thursday to Friday
evening. On the FUT2 channel various tests were performed. From a frozen
screen, to an empty signal and the previous observed VH-1 transmissions.
INTELSAT 703, 57 East, http://www.satcodx.com/i703.html
------------
RTNC "La voix du peuple" on 3.978 GHz, RC, was not seen for a few days,
most probably due to a technical error. Friday October 31st, the channel
commenced transmissions.
(SME)
TURKSAT 1C, 42E, http://www.satcodx.com/turk1c.html
----------
The MPEG-2 ATV feeds on the East/Turkey beam on 10.989 GHz, H, have a SR
of 3332, and a FEC of 3/4, VPID 4134, APID 4100.
(SATCO DX)
Emre Somcag was so kind to help me out in my lack of the Turkish
language, as I was already assuming the ceasure of ATV on the West/Euro
beam.
Nothing is further from the truth: ATV has actually started a new
channel for Europe, on the same transponder as used before and transmits
the old ATV programming now via the East/Turkey beam, transponder 12,
10.965 GHz, H, for the viewers at home.
This a similar situation to Kanal D, which is also broadcasting on two
different transponders. There are no plans to cease any of the ATV
transmissions.
TURKSAT 1B, 31 East, http://www.satcodx.com/turk1b.html
----------
BTV on 10.980 GHz, H, changed its SR to 4550, FEC to 5/6, VPID 4021,
APID 4022.
CTV on 10.973 GHz, H, is encrypted.
(SATCO DX)
ARABSAT 2A, 26 East, http://www.satcodx.com/arab2a.html
----------
ART 6 on 12.563 GHZ, H, as part of the 1stNET DStv package, has been
renamed to ART Al Ma'aref. I suspect this to be a documentary channel in
the Arabic language, with cultural, scientific, geographic and
educational video material.
(SME)
EUTELSAT II-f3, 16 East, http://www.satcodx.com/e2f3.html
--------------
Saturdays and Sundays the lovers of Italian football can see some feeds
in MPEG-2, clear on following frequencies:
11.146 GHz, H, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 4021, APID 4022
11.163 GHz, H, SR 5632, FEC 3/4, VPID 4134, APID 4100
(SATCO DX)
HRT Sat will leave 10.986 GHz, H, on 1 February 1998 after a period of
dual illumination, analogue from this bird and in MPEG-2 from Hot Bird
3.
HOT BIRD 3, 13 East, http://www.satcodx.com/hb3.html
----------
The international channel from ERT, consisting of programs from ET 1,
NET and ET 3 should apparently officially be called "ERT International".
(SME)
HRT's TV channels (HRT 1/2/3) and radio channels (HR 1/2/3) will start
soon on 12.303 GHz V, MPEG-2, initallially clear, later encrypted.
(SATCO DX)
Unconfirmed reports say that RTVI will be transmitting from an unknown
frequency on this satellite from January 1st 1998.
RTVI will be transmitting in clear for a 12-hour period, the other 12
hours will be shared by Pro TV and Antena 1.
Same reports see TPS transmitting with various transponder on the
widebeam in the near future, Has anybody more info about that ? In
discussion are 12.149 GHz, V; 12.542 GHz, V; 12.584 GHz, V; 11.938 GHz,
H; and 12.091 GHz, H
(SME, Anonymous)
Transponder 81, 11.322 GHz, H, was activated with an empty carrier late
Friday, October 31th. It was initially reserved for a digital Polish
Bouquet.
HOT BIRD 2, 13 East, http://www.satcodx.com/hb2.html
----------
Multichoice Hellas has started a second bouquet on 12.169 GHz, H, using
the wide beam in MPEG-2 with IRDETO encryption with a copy of the
service on Hot Bird 2, 11.823 GHz, H. On this transponder only the
CCTV-4 chjannel is clear (however without audio) and the last channel in
the package is called DEMO instead of TEST6.
(SME, SATCO DX)
"ERT International" on transponder 79, 11.284 GHz, H, is a mix of ET 1,
NET and ET 3, with the majority of programs from NET.
(SATCO DX)
Canal 24 Horas has intentions to move to Hot Bird 3 on 1 December, and
will include RNE Radio 1, Radio Clasica, Radio 3, Radio 5 and REE in the
transfer. The transponder and frequency is yet unknown.
(SATCO DX)
RaiSat 1 Cultura e Spettacolo started as announced on Monday October
27th, on 11.804 GHz, V, as part of the clear RAI MPEG-2 package, VPID
4204, APID 428E.
RaiSat Nettuno started on the same day on 11.804 GHz, V, as part of the
same package, with VPID 4207, and APID 4291. This channel is presently
showing the RaiSAT promotional videos, but it is intended to use it also
for University Studie programming.
(SME)
According to rumours, the channels TMC and TMC2 are soon set to join
RAI's bouquet on the HOT BIRD 2 satellite and will be transmitted in the
clear. Currently they can be found in Telepiu's D+ bouquet but are
scrambled.
(SAT-Italy)
On October 29th some test carriers could be observed on transponder 56,
11.843 GHz, V.
(SATCO DX)
EUTELSAT II-f2, 10 East, http://www.satcodx.com/e2f2.html
--------------
ERT International, which is now duplicated on Hot Bird 3, will leave
transponder 33, 11.596 GHz, H, on 31 October.
(SME)
Turkish Olay TV is still on 11.015 GHz, H, MPEG-2, SR 3055, FEC 7/8.
Pop TV feeds are on 11.025 GHz, H, MPEG-2, SR 3055, FEC 7/8.
(SATCO DX)
INTELSAT 705, 18 West, http://www.satcodx.com/i705.html
------------
Mediasat has daily feeds on 11.092 GHz, V, PAL. The quality is minor in
Cairo.
(SATCO DX)
INTELSAT 803, 27.5 West, http://www.satcodx.com/i803.html
------------
CNN London feeds can be found on 4.060 GHz, LC, MPEG-2, SR 9000, FEC
1/2.
(SATCO DX)
INTELSAT 601, 34.5 West, http://www.satcodx.com/i601.html
------------
Intelsat 601 replaced Intelsat 603 at 34.5 West already on 16 October.
The Intelsat 603 is now on its way to 24.5 West to release finally the
faulty Intelsat 605, which itself will then go to 29.5 West (see article
above).
(SME, SATCO DX)
PANAMSAT 3R, 43 West, http://www.satcodx.com/pas3r.html
-----------
PanAmSat Corporation said that Nigeria-based Minaj Group will use a 9
Megahertz digital channel on the PAS-3 C-band Africa beam to distribute
the new Minaj Broadcast International (MBI) television network
throughout Africa.
PAS-3's continent-wide African coverage for program distribution
services will enable Minaj to reach Africa's potential television
audience of approximately 38 million TV households.
The Minaj Group is a growing African-oriented information and
entertainment media conglomerate with core businesses within the
broadcast and publishing industries. Established in 1980, this
family-owned company has offices in Lagos, London and New York.
© Copyright 1997 by Sat-ND
http://www.lynet.de/~pck/
http://www.sat-net.com/pck/
SAT-MidEast Intern, http://www.sat-net.com/sat-mideast/
------------------
Upon request of various readers the latest issues of the SAT
Observations in HTML format will remain available on the SAT-MidEast
website as long as they are not have been integrated in the individual
satellite archive pages.
All individual satellite archives have been updated including today's
message, completing a year of observation for most of the birds.
With this notorious sentence is it obvious that SAT-MidEast completes
one year of SAT Observations: 159 transmitted mailings, including this
one, from the first "Welcome" Message on November 4th 1996. Thanks for
giving me your reading time !
There have been few special reports, one Sat-MidEast "Extra" and a
single Sat-MidEast correction note, there where it was really wrong. Oh
yes, and there was the one from 97.04.11, which was also a special one.
Anybody interested to find out why ? THAT would interest ME !
Special thanks go to the folks at TELE-satellit International,
especially the one with the tight briefcase; a doctor as the fatherly
mentor, the internet (majordomo) software engineer in France, and above
all, I may call him so, to my dear friend Christian Lyngemark, in
Helsingborg, Sweden, without whom all of the above would not be possible
in the way I would like it to be.
Keep it up friends, I'll do my part!
That's all for this time, up to new horizons !
Henk C. Room / SAT-MidEast / Cairo - Egypt
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