1998-028A
Echostar 4, an A2100AX, used an ILS Proton launch. DM3 stage No. 7L placed the satellite in GTO. Mass was 3470 kg full, 1580 kg dry. Bus is 1.8 x 1.8 x 4.5m with 21m span.
Echostar 4 was intended to replace Echostar 1 at 119W (Echostar 1 would go to 148W). It was to become the primary DISH network provider to the US together with Echostar 2, with Echostar 1 and 3 providing local, educational, business and data transmission services for Echostar Satellite Services. However, two of five solar panels on one array did not unfold, limiting power; Echostar claimed a loss on the insurance. An insulation material melted during transfer orbit coast and glued the arrays in their folded position. Echostar was placed at 148W for local and educational broadcasting. In 1999 Echostar 4 was moved to 110W, starting off a new Dish Network service pending the launch of Echostar 5. Then, on 2004 Sep 4 the stuck solar array panels unexpectedly popped open, restoring full power.
In 2005, E4 was moved to 77E to provide service for Mexican company QuetzSat, partly owned by Echostar. It was replaced there by Echostar 1 and 8.
| Echostar 4 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 May 7 | 2345:00 | Launch by Proton 393-02 | KB |
| T+02:02 Stage 2 burn | |||
| T+02:06 Stage 1 sep | |||
| T+05:35 Stage 2 MECO, Stage 2 sep | |||
| T+05:40 Stage 3 burn | |||
| T+05:44 Fairing sep | |||
| 2354:38 | T+09:38 Stage 3 MECO | ||
| T+09:49 Stage 3 vernier cutoff | |||
| 2354:49 | T+09:49 Stage 3 sep | ||
| 2355:44 | T+10:44 Adapter sep | ||
| 1998 May 8 | 0059:19 | T+1:14:19 DM burn 1 | |
| 0105:52 | T+1:20:52 DM MECO | 629.71 213 x 35702 x 48.5 | |
| 0603:55 | T+6:18:55 DM burn 2 | ||
| 0605:45 | T+6:20:45 DM MECO | 8318 x 35750 x 15.3 (ILS) | |
| 0625:32 | T+6:40:32 DM sep | ||
| 1998 May 8 | 794.47 8346 x 35727 x 15.4 | ||
| 1998 May 9 | 2130? | LAM-1 | |
| 1998 May 11 | 878.46 12263 x 35747 x 10.6 | ||
| 1998 May 13 | 1430? | LAM-2 | |
| 1998 May 14 | 1079.10 21204 x 35739 x 4.7 | ||
| 1998 May | Solar panel deploy problem | ||
| 1998 May 15? | LAM burn | ||
| 1998 May 18? | LAM burn | ||
| 1998 Jun 2 | 1436.10 35778 x 35795 x 0.0 GEO 127.0W | ||
| 1998 Jul 14 | 1436.12 35782 x 35792 x 0.0 GEO 127.0W | ||
| 1998 Jul 16 | mv out | 1440.86 35813 x 35946 x 0.0 GEO 128.0W+2.0W | |
| 1998 Jul 29 | mv in | ||
| 1998 Aug 15 | 1436.10 35782 x 35791 x 0.0 GEO 148.0W | ||
| 1999 Jun 10 | 1436.04 35775 x 35795 x 0.1 GEO 147.8W | ||
| 1999 Jun | Relocate to 110W | ||
| 1999 Jul 29 | 1436.09 35780 x 35792 x 0.1 GEO 110.1W | ||
| 1999 Oct 16 | 1436.06 35778 x 35793 x 0.1 GEO 110.1W | ||
| 1999 Dec 22 | GEO 110.5W | ||
| 2000 Jan 20 | Mv in | GEO 119.5W | |
| 2000 Jun 13 | 1436.13 35775 x 35798 x 0.0 GEO 119.5W | ||
| 2003 May 16 | mv out | GEO 119W | |
| 2003 Jul 20 | mv in | GEO 157W | |
| 2004 Sep 4 | Solar panels pop open | ||
| 2005 May 27 | 1436.13 35773 x 35800 x 0.8 GEO 157.0W | ||
| 2005 Jun 18 | mv out | 1436.06 35776 x 35794 x 0.8 GEO 157.0W | |
| 2005 Jul 6 | mv in at 77W (Quetzsat) | ||
| 2005 Jul 16 | 1436.20 35779 x 35797 x 0.9 GEO 76.8W | ||
| 2006 Aug 4 | 1436.11 35771 x 35802 x 0.6 GEO 77.0W | ||
| 2011 Jul 11 | 1436.11 35768 x 35804 x 2.8 GEO 76.7W | ||
