Astra 2A

Luxembourg

International Sat. n°:

Luxembourg spacecraft n°: 8

Launch data:

Designation 25462 / 98050A
Launch date30 Aug 1998 - 00:31 UT
Launch siteBaik, LC-81/23
Launch vehicleProton-K/DM-3
MissionCommercial: Direct TV
Geostationary orbit:
Perigee / Apogee 35776 x 35797 km
Eccentricity 2.49E-04
Inclination 0.08 deg
Period 1436.12 min

Half of the capacity (14 transponders) has been booked by BskyB.
The launched was originally booked with Ariane but due to technical problems with the satellite's bipropellant apogee motor the Proton launcher is more suitable (direct GEO injection). The Ariane contract is not cancelled and will be used for another satellite.

Spacecraft data:

Prime contractor Hughes
Platform HS-601HP
Operator SES Astra
Mass at launch 3635 kg
Mass in orbit2500 kg (BOL)
Dimension stowed: 3.3 x 3.3 x 5.5 m
Solar array 26 m span
Stabilization 3-axis
DC power 7000 W
Design lifetime 15 years

Location:

DatePositionRemarks
  28.2°E 
 Apr 2009 28.16 °E 

For security both standard and Xenon propulsion (XIPS) was installed.
It has been tested at 27°E.

Ku-band (11.7-12.5 GHz)

Main transponders 28 (32 for the first 5 years)
Backup transponders  
Power 100 W
Bandwidth 26 MHz in FSS, 33 MHz in BSS
Coverage  
EIRP max 52 dBW
Polarization linear H/V
Frequencies band E & band F

Transponder frequency chart - band E+F (GHz)>

Horizontal
Downlink 		Beam Channel Vertical
Downlink
11.71950 S1 1   
  S2 2  11.73900
11.75850 N1 3   
  N2 4  11.77800
11.79750 S1 5   
  S2 6  11.81700
11.83650 N1 7   
  N2 8  11.85600
11.87550 S1 9   
  S2 10 11.89500
11.91450 N1 11  
  N2 12 11.93400
11.95350 S1 13  
  S2 14 11.97300
11.99220 N1 15  
  N2 16 12.01200
12.03150 S1 17  
  S2 18 12.05100
12.07050 N1 19  
  N2 20 12.09000
12.10950 S1 21  
  S2 22 12.12900
12.14850 N1 23  
  N2 24 12.16800
12.18750 S1 25  
  S2 26 12.20700
12.22650 N1 27  
  N2 28 12.24600
12.26550 S1 29  
  S2 30 12.28500
12.30450 N1 31  
  N2 32 12.32400
12.34350 S1 33  
  S2 34 12.36300
12.38250 N1 35  
  N2 36 12.40200
12.42150 S1 37  
  S2 38 12.44100
12.46050 N1 39  
  N2 40 12.48000
N1 stands for North 1 or A, N2 stands for North 2 or B, S1 stands for South 1, etc.
Voice and video communications to Europe; 32 Ku-band for first five years, 28 after.
Ref.: #14, #15, #226 - update: 02.09.09 Home