Astra 2C is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by SES. Designed to join Astra 2A and Astra 2B at the Astra 28.2°E orbital position providing digital television and radio broadcast services to the United Kingdom and Ireland, the satellite was first used after launch in 2001 at 19.2° East for pan-European coverage.
| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | SES |
| COSPAR ID | 2001-025A |
| SATCAT no. | 26853 |
| Website | https://www.ses.com/ |
| Mission duration | 15 years (planned) 23 years, 2 months, 2 days (elapsed) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Boeing 601 |
| Bus | BSS 601 HP |
| Manufacturer | Boeing Satellite Systems |
| Launch mass | 3,643 kg (8,031 lb) |
| Power | 7.0 kW |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 16 June 2001, 01:49:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Proton-K / DM-03 |
| Launch site | Baikonur, Site 81/23 |
| Contractor | Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center |
| Entered service | August 2001 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit[1] |
| Regime | Geostationary orbit |
| Longitude | Astra 23.5°E (2018) 60.2° East (2015–2018) Astra 28.2°E (2014–2015) Astra 19.2°E (2010–2014) Astra 31.5°E (2009–2010) Astra 28.2°E (2007–2009) Astra 19.2°E (2001–2007) |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 32 Ku-band |
| Bandwidth | 33 MHz |
| Coverage area | Europe |
The satellite provides one broadcast beam with horizontal and vertical polarisation, across a single footprint covering the areas of Central and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, the Iberian Peninsula and Canary Islands.[2]
TV signals can be received with a 50 cm dish across the majority of the British Isles with a 60 cm dish required in the extreme north and west. Astra 2C can also provide backup capacity, substituting for one or more transponders across the 10.70-12.20 GHz broadcast range used by Astra satellites in the Astra 19.2°E and Astra 28.2°E orbital positions.
History
editAlthough originally intended for Astra 28.2° East, the satellite has spent little of its life in that orbital position, stationed at Astra 19.2° East and Astra 31.5°E for some 11 years for pan-European coverage. Positioned at 28.2° East for just 19 months from August 2007 and for 16 months from March 2014, Astra 2C was then moved to 60.5° East in August 2015 [3] In April–May 2018, it was moved for the first time to the Astra 23.5°E slot.[4]
Temporary use at 19.2°E
editAstra 2C was first positioned at 19.2° East after launch in 2001, to provide pan-European capacity at the primary Astra position pending the launch of Astra 1L (in May 2007) and was moved to 28.2° East in August 2007, transmitting digital TV and interactive services for Sky Digital and Freesat.[5] Only two transponders were active during this time.
The satellite was returned to 19.2° East in September 2010 while Astra 1N, which was intended for positioning at Astra 19.2° East, was used at Astra 28.2° East. As of July 2012, there are 16 transponders active, in particular six for the Spanish Canal+ pay-TV platform and five for Sky Deutschland.[6]
Astra 2C was returned to its originally intended position at Astra 28.2° East after the relocation of Astra 1N from 28.2° East to 19.2° East in March 2014.
Temporary use at 31.5° East
editIn March 2009, SES announced that in April 2009, Astra 2C was to be moved from 28.2° East to Astra 31.5°E to temporarily replace the failed Astra 5A until Astra 3B was launched to Astra 23.5°E, when another craft currently there could be released to Astra 31.5° East.[7] The move of Astra 2C was started in early May 2009 and completed on 11 May 2009,[8] with the first transponders coming into use at the new position in the subsequent two weeks.
In June 2010, Astra 3B (launched May 2010) came into operation at Astra 23.5° East and Astra 1G was moved from that position to Astra 31.5° East, where it could release take over all broadcasting activity from Astra 2C. Astra 2C left 31.5° East in September 2010.
See also
edit- Astra 23.5°E – current orbital position
- Astra 28.2°E – previous orbital position
- Astra 19.2°E – previous orbital position
- Astra 31.5°E – previous orbital position
- Astra 2A
- Astra 2B
- Astra 2D
- Astra 2E
- Astra 2F
- Astra 2G
- SES (operator)
- Astra satellite family
References
edit- ^ "ASTRA 2C". N2YO.com. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
- ^ "Astra 2C". SES. Archived from the original on 25 January 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
- ^ "Astra 2C at 60.5°E". LyngSat. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
- ^ Real Time Satellite Tracking And Predictions Accessed 27 May 2017
- ^ "Astra 2C at 28.2°E". LyngSat. Archived from the original on 11 August 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
- ^ "Astra 2C at 19.2°E". LyngSat. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ^ "SES To Move ASTRA 2C Satellite To 31.5 Degrees East To Support Development of New Orbital Position" (Press release). SES Astra. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
- ^ Astra 2C arrived at 31.5 East LyngSat Retrieved 1 June 2009