EchoStar XIX satellite delayed launch
December 16, 2016
By Chris Forrester
A planned launch of EchoStar XIX satellite has slipped two days because a component on the United Launch Alliance’s giant Atlas 5 rocket has – in the words of ULA – “off-nominal” behaviour”.
The new time for launch is expected for December 18th (at 1.27-3.27pm local Florida time).
The ULA statement said: “During the flight control system final checkout, a component exhibited off-nominal behaviour, the first stage booster component will be replaced and retested early next week. This additional time will allow the ULA team to ensure all systems are operating nominally prior to final launch preparations.”
The mission has thus been pushed back two days to replace a component and to retest the rocket after pre-flight checkouts.
EchoStar XIX will be the world’s highest capacity broadband satellite in orbit, dramatically increasing capacity for HughesNet high-speed satellite Internet service to homes and businesses in North America. This large, multi-spot beam Ka-band satellite, based on the powerful Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform, will be stationed at 97.1 degrees West longitude. Building from their experience on the highly successful EchoStar XVII broadband satellite, SSL and Hughes collaboratively engineered the specific design details of this payload for optimum performance.