Eurobird 1

EUTELSAT

Spacecraft n°:

EUTELSAT spacecraft n°: 21

Also called Europesat 1

Launch data:

Designation	26719 / 01011A
Launch date	08 Mar 2001 - 22:51 UT
Launch site	Ko, ELA3
Launch vehicle	Ariane-5G (V140 / 509)
Mission	Commercial: Communications
Geostationary orbit:
Perigee / Apogee	35788 x 35794 km
Eccentricity	7,12E-05
Inclination	0.07 deg
Period	1436.1 min

P&T Luxembourg, A Eutelsat signatory, booked six 72 MHz transponders in the 11.20-11.45 GHz band for the satellite lifetime and turned those transponders to SES in May 2000. BskyB secured 4 transponders the same way with BT.

Total cost with insurance: approx $200 million. Tested at 33°E

Specifications

Prime contractor	Alcatel Space Industries (with DASA, Alenia & SS/L)
Platform	Spacebus-3000B2
Operator	EUTELSAT
Mass at launch	2950 kg
Mass in orbit	1810 kg
Dry mass	1375 kg
Dimension	4.6 x 2.5 x 1.8 m
Solar array	29 m span
Stabilization	3-axis
DC power	EOL: 5900 W
Design lifetime	12 years - still active

Location:

Date	Position	Remarks
	28.5°E
July 2010	28.56° E

Beacons: 11.452570 & 12.50100 & 11.20000 GHz.
Has an Astrium S400 bipropellant engine

Mission

The 3,050-kg. EUROBIRD satellite will ride in the upper payload position. EUROBIRD is protected by Ariane 5's payload fairing, and is mounted atop the Sylda 5 dual satellite deployment system. Positioned below it is the 1,310-kg. BSAT-2a, which is housed inside the cylinder-shaped Sylda 5.
During the flight, EUROBIRD will be released first, with its separation occurring approximately 29 minutes after liftoff. The Sylda 5 structure will then be opened, allowing the BSAT-2a spacecraft to be deployed.

Ku-band:

Main transponders	24
Backup transponders
Power	90 W
Bandwidth	12 x 33 MHz 12 x 72 MHz
Coverage	Central europe
EIRP max	fixed: 47 dBW 2 steerable beams
Polarization	linear
Frequencies	Would downlink in 11.20 - 11.70 GHz and 12.50 - 12.75 GHz (6 transp.)

The steerable beams have an elliptical footprint that can be rotated by up to +/- 90°

Transponder frequency chart (GHz)

Horizontal Uplink	Horizontal Downlink	Transponder	Vertical Downlink	Vertical Uplink	Bandwidth (MHz)	Uplink from	Downlink to
	11.24167	C1		13.04167	72	steerable 2	steerable 2
13.04167		C2	11.24167		72	steerable 2	steerable 2
	11.32500	C3		13.12500	72	steerable 2	steerable 2
13.12500		C4	11.32500		72	steerable 2	steerable 2
	11.40833	C5		12.20833	72	steerable 2	steerable 2
12.20833		C6	11.40833		72	steerable 2	steerable 2

	12.54167	F1 / F1S		14.04167	72	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2
14.04167		F2 / F2S	12.54167		72	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2
	12.62500	F3 / F3S		14.12500	72	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2
14.12500		F4 / F4S	12.62500		72	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2
	12.70833	F5 / F5S		14.20833	72	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2
14.20833		F6 / F6S	12.70833		72	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2	F1: fixed, F1S: steerable 2

Steerable 1 transponder frequency chart (GHz)

Horizontal Uplink	Horizontal Downlink	Transponder	Vertical Downlink	Vertical Uplink	Bandwidth (MHz)
	11.46923	D1S		14.26923	33
14.28846		D2S	11.48846		33
	11.50769	D3S		14.30769	33
14.32692		D4S	11.52692		33
	11.54615	D5S		14.34615	33
14.36538		D6S	11.56538		33
	11.58462	D7S		14.38462	33
14.40385		D8S	11.60385		33
	11.62508	D9S		14.42308	33
14.44231		D10S	11.64231		33
	11.66154	D11S		14.46154	33
14.48077		D12S	11.68077		33

Astrophilately covers:

Launch cancel Kourou

Headquarter cancel Paris

Credit covers: J.VdDr.

Ref.: #7, #15, #66a, #226, #415 - update: 05.11.19

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