Astra 2A
Encyclopedia
Astra 2A is a communications satellite
owned by SES Astra
. Launched in 1998, half its expected end-of-life capacity of 28 transponders were pre-booked by BSkyB, who utilised it to launch their new Sky Digital service. 21 transponders are active, , with two of these active but unused.
The satellite suffered pre-launch technical issues with its apogee motors and was moved to a launch by the Proton rocket rather than the Ariane 5
, as the Proton was deemed more suitable considering the craft's precarious state.
When positioned at 28E, it joined DFS Kopernikus
1, which served mainly Eastern Europe
. The satellite was the first of Astra's craft to never carry analogue television services (with the exception of a solitary test card in 1999 ), and as of 2006, carries standard definition digital television, digital radio, and high-definition digital television, as well as Sky Interactive streams and the AVC Broadband
and Silvermead satellite internet services. Two beams, both of which transmit on horizontal and vertical polarisation, exist - "2A North" and "2A South". The South beam covers almost all of Europe, with the North beam covering only Northern Europe at a high power.
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
owned by SES Astra
SES Astra
Astra is the name for the geostationary communication satellites, both individually and as a group, which are owned and operated by SES S.A., a global satellite operator based in Betzdorf, in eastern Luxembourg. The name is sometimes also used to describe the channels broadcasting from these...
. Launched in 1998, half its expected end-of-life capacity of 28 transponders were pre-booked by BSkyB, who utilised it to launch their new Sky Digital service. 21 transponders are active, , with two of these active but unused.
The satellite suffered pre-launch technical issues with its apogee motors and was moved to a launch by the Proton rocket rather than the Ariane 5
Ariane 5
Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit . Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales...
, as the Proton was deemed more suitable considering the craft's precarious state.
When positioned at 28E, it joined DFS Kopernikus
DFS Kopernikus
DFS-Kopernikus meaning Deutscher Fernmeldesatellit Kopernikus) was the name of three geostationary satellite of Deutsche Bundespost and later Deutsche Telekom AG...
1, which served mainly Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
. The satellite was the first of Astra's craft to never carry analogue television services (with the exception of a solitary test card in 1999 ), and as of 2006, carries standard definition digital television, digital radio, and high-definition digital television, as well as Sky Interactive streams and the AVC Broadband
AVC Broadband
AVC Broadband is a satellite Internet access provider in the United Kingdom....
and Silvermead satellite internet services. Two beams, both of which transmit on horizontal and vertical polarisation, exist - "2A North" and "2A South". The South beam covers almost all of Europe, with the North beam covering only Northern Europe at a high power.
See also
- Astra 2BAstra 2BAstra 2B is a communications satellite owned and operated by SES Astra, launched in 2000 to join Astra 2A at the Astra 28.2°E orbital slot providing digital television and radio broadcast services to the UK and Republic of Ireland....
co-located satellite - Astra 2CAstra 2CAstra 2C is a communications satellite owned and operated by SES Astra. Designed to join Astra 2A and Astra 2B at the Astra 28.2°E orbital slot providing digital television and radio broadcast services to the UK and Republic of Ireland, the satellite was first used at 19.2°E for pan-European...
co-located satellite - Astra 2DAstra 2DAstra 2D is one of a group of Astra communications satellites operated by SES, located at 28.2° east in the Clarke Belt. It is a Hughes HS-376 craft, and was launched from the Guiana Space Centre in December 2000....
co-located satellite - Astra 28.2°EAstra 28.2°EAstra 28.2°E is the name for the group of Astra communications satellites co-located at the 28.2° East position in the Clarke Belt that are owned and operated by SES based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg...
orbital position - SES AstraSES AstraAstra is the name for the geostationary communication satellites, both individually and as a group, which are owned and operated by SES S.A., a global satellite operator based in Betzdorf, in eastern Luxembourg. The name is sometimes also used to describe the channels broadcasting from these...
satellite owner
External links
- SES guide to receiving Astra satellites
- SES guide to channels broadcasting on Astra satellites
- OnAstra - Official consumers/viewers' site
- SES - Official trade/industry site