Satellite > HughesNet Satellite > "Jupiter" launch date/time set

"Jupiter" launch date/time set

While the launch date/time has been set, the satellite has not yet been delivered to the launch site. Once the satellite is delivered it takes a minimum of 22 days to prep it for launch. If it doesn't get finished in the next couple of weeks, the launch date will slip.

The other thing impacting a launch is the launch of a rocket this month (VA206). I believe it is schedule for launch May 15th. If it doesn't launch it could very well push back the launch of VA207, which will carry Echostar 17.

Re: "Jupiter" launch date/time set

Normal delays...no doubt! Wasn't Viasat-1 over a year late?

I wouldn't have wanted to be the person that spilled it!

But seriously, the next 10 days will tell alot about how optimistic things look for a June launch.

reply to dbirdman
Here's a question that I've been dying to ask...

What good is a new bird to a company who can't manage the infrastructure they already have?!?
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Having HughesNet is like paying the garbage man to DELIVER trash to your house.

Because part of the infrastructure are the satellites in space. And right now, the satellites' capacity are a bottleneck within the infrastructure. So you invest to deal with eliminating or reducing the bottleneck.

Let me rephrase that...

What good is a new bird in the sky to a company who can't manage the [earth based] infrastructure they already have?!? These guys at HN give most of us regular folks the impression that they couldn't manage their way out of a damned cardboard box.
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Having HughesNet is like paying the garbage man to DELIVER trash to your house.

reply to dbirdman
If Verizon gets their new 4G LTE up and running across more of the country, they could put a hurt on both Viasat and Hughesnet.

And neither Viasat or Hughesnet has the resources to compete IF Verizon commits to their new 4G home service. It would be sort of like the corner store trying to compete with Walmart. It just doesn't happen.

From some of your comments I an thinking you don't live in a truly rural area. It is hard to talk about 4G in places where 3G doesn't exist. Many don't have 1 bar of 1xRTT. In such areas the talk of Verizon competing with Satellite is fantasy. The people living there would love to see it, but don't expect it.
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Motosat self-pointing dishes: 1.2-meter XF-3 on 105W or 121W, .74 meter G74 on 89W, SL-5 HD DirecTV|idirect 3100|Hughes HN7000S|Verizon UMW190 Air Card|1990 Blue Bird Wanderlodge Bus "Blue Thunder"|Author of hnFAP-Alert, PC-OPI and DSSatTool

For what it's worth, my local Cellcom G3 is beta testing G4 39 air miles away (Wausau) , amazing in northern Wisconsin.
I'm getting G3 600-900kb/s $40 for 50GB, wireless router not a limited USB stick.
3 years ago G3 was only available in Milwaukee and Madison, dropped off and was hard to post stationary from my hospital bed.

Last week with my driver trip Rhinelander to Madison was on the internet until 40 miles from Madison because Cellcom didn't have their tower there. Still amazing technology.
165 miles without a drop off of the internet was a rewarding experience.

Also have Exede 15-19Mb/s, tho HN has lately been disappointing and will let it go in a few weeks, it served it's purpose when I was a night owl free zone.

Hold your breath with Jupiter launch, I was watching live on the big dish (C band) Shuttle Challenger disaster January 28, 1986 I shall never forget

reply to dbirdman
As a satellite Internet user...it never hurts to dream

But I have read that 4G coverage will be a little better than what 3G coverage is now, due to the technical specs of 4G.

So if you get at least some 3G signal now, chances are the 4G signal will be as good or better once a tower is upgraded. But where there is no cell service at all...satellite unfortunately remains our only hope.

But back on topic. Hopefully some news on Echostar 17 will be forthcoming soon and Loral will announce they are completed with the bird (and nothing gets spilled on it )

reply to dbirdman
Just curious, does anyone have any data on how many new customers Viasat brought on with exede? Also, do you all think Hughes plans on phasing out the older Ku systems and concentrating on an all Ka service, as it would seem to be less expensive for Hughes per customer on the Ka systems.

reply to Pakapab
I am sure Viasat will be releasing those numbers sometime over the next couple of months.

Hard to determine how many "new" customers they have brought on board. I did hear the upgrades of existing Wildblue customers to Exede occurred a lot quicker than what was originally promised. So perhaps there was not the "rush" of new subscribers that Viasat initially expected.

reply to dbirdman
The trial has been going on for several months now, and Verizon is now offering national availability. I'd say that shows a commitment to the program, wouldn't you? Their LTE coverage is in 230 markets now and will be over 400 by the end of the year, and have the potential to serve 230 million customers.

Your and my preference for living in non-LTE areas hardly changes the fact that as OldSatUser pointed out - taking away those customers from Hughes and ViaSat will hurt from a business perspective.

ViaSat and Hughes will have a choice - continue to price the service as a premium product for coverage in non-LTE areas and accept a much smaller user base, or attempt to lower their price in recognition that they are providing a lesser service (latency, FAP).