EchoStar to Relocate EchoStar 12, EchoStar 3

EchoStar wants to relocate EchoStar 12 and EchoStar 3, it said in FCC International Bureau applications (see here and here) Tuesday. It said the effort to relocate EchoStar 12 to 86.4 degrees west is to develop new services for the Colombian, maritime and other foreign markets. The satellite was launched in June 2003 and in recent years operated as an in-orbit spare at 61.2 degrees west, providing backup capacity for Dish Network, EchoStar said. It said that on or about July 3, it plans to move EchoStar 3 to 86.85 degrees west for three to four months and then begin maneuvers to deorbit it. EchoStar 3 was launched in 1998 and operates as an in-orbit spare at 61.8 degrees west, it said.