spacetoday.net: AMC-14 declared a total loss

Posted: Fri, Apr 11, 2008, 9:48 PM ET (0148 GMT)
Lockheed Martin A2100 satellite illustration

SES Americom announced Friday that it has given up efforts to salvage a satellite stranded in a useless transfer orbit last month. The AMC-14 satellite launched by a Proton M rocket on March 15, but was left short of geosynchronous transfer orbit when the Proton's Breeze M upper stage shut down prematurely. After studying potential options to raise the satellite's orbit and get some useful life out of the spacecraft, SES Americom concluded that those options had "unacceptable risks" and would instead declare the satellite a total loss and file a claim with insurers. SES was not more specific about what options were considered and their risks, but SpaceDaily reported that they considered a lunar flyby option but were unable to reach a licensing agreement with Boeing, the company that owns a patent on that rescue approach. The satellite is insured for $150 million by SES Americom and an additional $42 million by EchoStar, who had leased the satellite's capacity.