Vinny
02-01-07, 09:20 AM
Earlier this week, a SES New Skies satellite and rocket exploded during its launch from the unmanned, ocean-going Sea Launch platform in the equatorial Pacific. A spokeswoman for the company confirmed that the Boeing-built NSS-8 satellite had been destroyed - but no one yet knows just how significant the damage is to the platform itself.
Particularly interested in the platform's current state is DIRECTV with its plans to launch two new satellites later this year that the company is banking on to take its high definition offering to the next level. Of the two satellites - DIRECTV-10 and DIRECTV-11 - the second is the only one slated for launch at the sea-bound platform.
Bernstein Research's Craig Moffett said DIRECTV-10 will be launched from the ground in June and should be able to provide sufficient capacity to deliver dozens of national HD channels that the company promised at this year's CES. The analyst also said it is likely that the launch of DIRECTV-11, however, will be delayed.
According to DIRECTV, a launch delay would limit the rate at which the company can expand availability of local HD channels. Moffett said the satcaster is looking at other launching options for DIRECTV-11, though its unclear whether it will be able to secure an alternative launch slot.
"Any delay in DIRECTV's HDTV strategy is an incremental negative for the company (but) the impact is likely smaller than initial reports may have suggested," the analyst said about predictions the company would postpone its HD development until 2008. "Having to delay expanding their HD locals footprint is clearly a setback, but we believe the impact is likely to be relatively modest."
Late last night, Robert Mercer, DIRECTV's director of public relations told SkyREPORT that the explosion would have no impact on the company's future HD plans.
Source: www.skyreport.com (http://www.skyreport.com)
Particularly interested in the platform's current state is DIRECTV with its plans to launch two new satellites later this year that the company is banking on to take its high definition offering to the next level. Of the two satellites - DIRECTV-10 and DIRECTV-11 - the second is the only one slated for launch at the sea-bound platform.
Bernstein Research's Craig Moffett said DIRECTV-10 will be launched from the ground in June and should be able to provide sufficient capacity to deliver dozens of national HD channels that the company promised at this year's CES. The analyst also said it is likely that the launch of DIRECTV-11, however, will be delayed.
According to DIRECTV, a launch delay would limit the rate at which the company can expand availability of local HD channels. Moffett said the satcaster is looking at other launching options for DIRECTV-11, though its unclear whether it will be able to secure an alternative launch slot.
"Any delay in DIRECTV's HDTV strategy is an incremental negative for the company (but) the impact is likely smaller than initial reports may have suggested," the analyst said about predictions the company would postpone its HD development until 2008. "Having to delay expanding their HD locals footprint is clearly a setback, but we believe the impact is likely to be relatively modest."
Late last night, Robert Mercer, DIRECTV's director of public relations told SkyREPORT that the explosion would have no impact on the company's future HD plans.
Source: www.skyreport.com (http://www.skyreport.com)