FM-5 update

http://investor.loral.com/releasedet...leaseID=393374

"PALO ALTO, Calif., Jul 1, 2009 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications (Nasdaq:LORL) and the leading provider of commercial satellites, today announced that SIRIUS FM-5, a satellite that it provided to SIRIUS XM Radio, America's satellite radio company, is performing post-launch maneuvers according to plan. The satellite's solar arrays deployed on schedule early this morning, following yesterday's successful launch from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan aboard a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle provided by International Launch Services (ILS). The satellite is scheduled to begin firing its main thruster tomorrow in order to start maneuvering into geosynchronous orbit."


Final orbital slot will be at 96 degrees west.

Cool little app to track Sirius satellites. FM-5 did not show up yesterday. It is tracking today.

http://www.n2yo.com/?k=33 Currently at 171 E

For anyone that cares... been monitoring the FM-5 satellite through the different maneuvers to place it in it's final position. The last day or so have been slow, fairly subtle adjustment of just a few degrees longitude. Pretty interesting. Anyway, just noticed about 15 minutes ago that it's speed is at 0. If it really is in the final location, then they should be unfurling the reflector soon to begin testing.

check out the tracking site here: http://www.n2yo.com/?k=33

Thanks for the update, I am very interested in the progress but keep forgetting to check, please post updates if you can.

New tracking website.

http://www.satbeams.com/satellites?norad=35493 Still show it as moving. Once in place and ready to go, it should show active.

On that same site: http://www.satbeams.com/!ajax/embed?beam=6093

Shows the transmission footprint for the new satellite. Click in the shaded areas and you can see transmission strenght for the different regions.