Eutelsat Konnect
![]() Artist's impression of Eutelsat Konnect | |
Mission type | Communication |
---|---|
Operator | Eutelsat |
COSPAR ID | 2020-005B |
SATCAT no. | 45027![]() |
Mission duration | 15 Years |
Spacecraft properties | |
Bus | Spacebus neo |
Manufacturer | Thales Alenia Space |
Launch mass | 3,619kg |
Power | 20 kW |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 16 January 2020, 16:05 ET |
Rocket | Ariane 5 ECA |
Launch site | Kourou, ELA-3 |
Contractor | Arianespace |
Deployment date | 16 January 2020 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | Geostationary |
Longitude | 7.2° East |
Transponders | |
Band | Ka band |
Eutelsat Konnect is a geostationary communications satellite operated by Eutelsat. The satellite was designed and manufactured by Thales Alenia Space on the Spacebus-neo platform, and was launched on January 16, 2020 on an Ariane 5. The satellite provides broadband internet and communications coverage to Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.[1]
History
In October 2015, Eutelsat ordered a next-generation communications satellite originally named the African Broadband Satellite.[1] The satellite was ordered as part of Eutelsat's move to expand in the African communications market.[2]
Thales Alenia Space contracted launch on an Ariane 5, co-manifested with another payload as is usual.
Spacecraft
Eutelsat Konnect is built on the Spacebus-neo platform, an all-electric satellite bus designed with funding and support from the European Space Agency and CNES. In addition to providing more communications capacity, the new platform provided significant manufacturing cost reductions compared to previous geostationary satellites.[3]
Eutelsat Konnect carries a high-throughput Ka-band communications payload, providing 75 Gbps of capacity through 65 spotbeams.[1]
Launch
On 16 January 2020 at 16:05 ET, Eutelsat Konnect was launched to on an Ariane 5.[3] The launch was shared with ISRO communications satellite GSAT-30.[4]
Approximately 28 minutes after launch, Eutelsat Konnect separated from the SYLDA fairing and was released into geostationary transfer orbit.[5]
References
- ^ a b c "Eutelsat Konnect". space.skyrocket.de. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
- ^ "EUTELSAT KONNECT satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space, now in orbit | Thales Group". www.thalesgroup.com. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
- ^ a b "Arianespace launches Eutelsat, ISRO satellites on first 2020 mission". SpaceNews.com. 2020-01-16. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
- ^ "Arianespace gears up for busy 2020 with dual-passenger Ariane 5 mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. 2020-01-16. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
- ^ "Space Launch Report". www.spacelaunchreport.com. Retrieved 2020-06-05.