Astra 2A
| COSPAR ID | 1998-050A |
|---|---|
| SATCAT no. | 25462 |
| Mission duration | 15 years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | HS-601HP |
| Manufacturer | Hughes |
| Launch mass | 3,635 kilograms (8,014 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | August 30, 1998 UTC |
| Rocket | Proton-K/DM3 |
| Launch site | Baikonur 81/23 |
| Contractor | ILS |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Longitude | 27°E (testing) 28.2°E |
| Slot | Astra 2 |
| Perigee altitude | 35,787 kilometres (22,237 mi)[1] |
| Apogee altitude | 35,797 kilometres (22,243 mi)[1] |
| Inclination | 0.02 degrees[1] |
| Period | 1436.08 minutes[1] |
| Epoch | 7 March 2014, 20:25:39 UTC[1] |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 32 Ku band to be reduced to 28 as craft aged. |
| Bandwidth | 28x33 megahertz |
| TWTA power | 28x98W |
| EIRP | 51 decibel-watts |
Astra 2A is one of the Astra communications satellites owned by SES. Launched in 1998 into the 28.2E orbital position, 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. As of 2006, 21 transponders were active, including two active but unused; as of September 2013, 22 transponders are active.[2]
History
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 can inject directly in GEO.[3]
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[4]), 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 "2A North" and "2A South" transmit on horizontal and vertical polarisation. The South beam covers almost all of Europe, with the North beam covering only Northern Europe at a high power.
Future
By 2014, following the launches of Astra 2E, Astra 2F, and Astra 2G to 28.2°E, Astra 2A is expected to be moved to Astra 23.5°E, alongside Astra 3B.[5]
See also
- Astra 1N co-located satellite
- Astra 2D co-located satellite (inactive)
- Astra 2E co-located satellite
- Astra 2F co-located satellite
- Astra 28.2°E orbital position
References
- ^ a b c d e "ASTRA 2A Satellite details 1998-050A NORAD 25462". N2YO. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
- ^ Astra 2A at 28.2°E Lyngsat. Accessed September 30, 2013
- ^ The Satellite Encyclopaedia
- ^ LyngSat (archived)
- ^ Where markets grow via satellite: Our global satellite fleet SES January 2012
External links
- Astra 2A Ku-band North Beam footprint(s) at SatBeams
- Astra 2A Ku-band South Beam footprint(s) at SatBeams
- SES guide to receiving Astra satellites
- SES guide to channels broadcasting on Astra satellites
- OnAstra - Official consumers/viewers' site
- SES - Official trade/industry site
- IMS Official provider's site