Dish Network's New HDTV Satellite Fails
The rocket suffers an "anomaly" during second orbit.
By Swanni
The AMC-14 satellite, which Dish was leasing from SES Americom, lifted off successfully yesterday morning.
But International Launch Services, which was conducting the launch, reports that an "anomaly" occurred during the second burn of the Breeze M upper stage. The satellite then failed to reach its planned orbit.
Once operational, the satellite was expected to enable Dish to begin adding high-def channels, increasing its current total to roughly 70 to 100 by year's end.
The satcaster has said it would launch three new satellites in 2008 to expand its capacity for high-def. Dish also plans to offer local HD channels in 100 markets by year's end.
There's no word this morning from Dish Network on its immediate plans for satellite launches or how this failure will affect its HD plans.
Comment on this article!
___________________________________________
____________________________________________
Click
TVPredictions.com to see today's Swanni
Sez.
©
TVPredictions.com
____________________________________________
Swanni (Phillip Swann) is
president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in
dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox
News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The
Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The
Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at
swann@tvpredictions.com
or at 703-505-3064.
Click
TVPredictions.com
to read more news and features on TV
technology.