Dish Network’s EchoStar 2 Satellite Fails
By Staff Writer | July 17, 2008
[Satellite Today 07-17-08] Dish Network’s EchoStar 2 satellite “experienced a substantial failure that appears to have rendered the satellite a total loss,” Dish said in a July 14 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
EchoStar 2, launched in September 1996, has been operating at 148° West primarily as a back-up satellite but had provided local network channel service to Alaska and six other small markets, Dish said. All programming and other services were restored to EchoStar 1, the primary satellite at the orbital slot. EchoStar 2 carried a book value of about $6.4 million at the end of June, Dish said.
Sea Launch placed the EchoStar 11 satellite in orbit for Dish Network July 15.