Astra 2E

Astra 2E
NamesEutelsat 28E
Mission typeCommunications
OperatorSES S.A.
COSPAR ID2013-056A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.39285
Websitehttps://www.ses.com/
Mission duration15 years (planned)
11 years, 1 month, 28 days (elapsed)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeEurostar
BusEurostar-3000
ManufacturerAstrium
(now Airbus Defence and Space)
Launch mass6,020 kg (13,270 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date29 September 2013, 21:38 UTC
RocketProton-M / Briz-M
Launch siteBaikonur, Site 200/39
ContractorKhrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Entered serviceFebruary 2014
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit[1]
RegimeGeostationary orbit
Longitude28.2° East
Transponders
Band63 transponders:
60 Ku-band
3 Ka-band
Coverage areaEurope, Middle East, Africa

Astra 2E is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by SES S.A., launched to the Astra 28.2°E orbital position on 30 September 2013[2] after a 10-week delay caused by launcher problems. The satellite provides free-to-air and encrypted direct-to-home (DTH) digital television and satellite broadband services for Europe and the Middle East.[3]

After launch, Astra 2E underwent in-orbit testing at 43.5° East[4] and began commercial operations at 28.2° East in February 2014.[5] At that time, channels broadcast via Astra 1N (temporarily located at 28.2° East pending Astra 1E's launch) were transferred to Astra 2E and Astra 1N relocated to its design position at 19.2° East.[6]

Astra 2E is the second of three "second generation" satellites for the 28.2° East position to replace the first generation Astra 2A, Astra 2B, Astra 2C and Astra 2D craft originally positioned there between 1998 and 2001.[7] The first, Astra 2F, was launched in 2012,[8] and the third, Astra 2G, was launched on 27 December 2014.[9])

Unlike other SES/Astra satellites, the launch order of Astra 2E and Astra 2F is not reflected in their alphabetical names, with Astra 2F launched 10 months before Astra 2E.

  1. ^ "ASTRA 2E". N2YO.com. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  2. ^ "ASTRA 2E successfully launched" (Press release). SES. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  3. ^ Astra 2E Footprints SES Accessed 17 September 2018
  4. ^ "Astra 2E at Real Time Satellite Tracking And Predictions". Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  5. ^ "SES's ASTRA 2E SATELLITE GOES LIVE at 28.2/28.5 DEGREES EAST OVER EMEA" (Press release). SES. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  6. ^ Changes to BBC satellite transponders in 2013 12 December 2012 BBC Distribution blog Accessed 16 July 2013
  7. ^ "SES Orders Four New Satellites From ASTRIUM" (Press release). SES. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  8. ^ "SES SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES ASTRA 2F SATELLITE" (Press release). SES. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  9. ^ "ASTRA 2G SATELLITE ROARS INTO ORBIT" (Press release). SES. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.

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