Astra 2E

Astra 2E
Names	Eutelsat 28E
Mission type	Communications
Operator	SES S.A.
COSPAR ID	2013-056A
SATCAT no.	39285
Website	https://www.ses.com/
Mission duration	15 years (planned); 11 years, 2 months, 29 days (elapsed)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Eurostar
Bus	Eurostar-3000
Manufacturer	Astrium; (now Airbus Defence and Space)
Launch mass	6,020 kg (13,270 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	29 September 2013, 21:38 UTC
Rocket	Proton-M / Briz-M
Launch site	Baikonur, Site 200/39
Contractor	Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Entered service	February 2014
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Geostationary orbit
Longitude	28.2° East
Transponders
Band	63 transponders:; 60 Ku-band; 3 Ka-band
Coverage area	Europe, Middle East, Africa
	Astra constellation ← Astra 2F Astra 5B →

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.

Market

The Astra 28.2° East orbital position was established in 1998 to provide digital television, digital radio and multimedia services to the United Kingdom and Ireland, and Astra 2E's primary mission is to continue this provision as replacement and follow-on capacity to the Astra 2A, Astra 2D and Astra 1N satellites. Along with Astra 2F it delivers programming to almost 13 million satellite homes, over 3 million cable homes, and 700,000 Internet Protocol television (IPTV) homes in the United Kingdom and Ireland, in particular for channels from the major United Kingdom digital satellite television satellite bus, BSkyB and Freesat.^[10]

ASTRA 2E also delivers broadcast and Very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) services in Europe, Middle East and Africa in Ku-band.^[11] and Ka-band capacity will provide internet via satellite with download speeds of up to 20 Mbit/s to Germany.^[12]

Broadcasting footprint

Astra 2E has three Ku-band downlink beams covering Europe and the Middle East:

The European Beam is centred on the English Channel with maximum signal over the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Benelux, and parts of Germany, Austria, and Spain (including a "lobe" specifically designed to serve the Canary Islands), and reception on a larger dish extending to Italy, Poland, North Africa, and the Balkans.
The UK Beam provides maximum signal (for 45 cm dishes) over the United Kingdom, Ireland, Benelux and Northern France with a sharp roll-off of signal level outside this region, in close approximation of the UK Beam of Astra 2D. This enables channels to be broadcast free-to-air but with reception effectively constrained to the British Isles, and has been the basis for the Freesat free-to-air United Kingdom platform.^[13]
The Middle East beam is centred on the Arabian Peninsula and extends to Turkey and into East Africa, to provide for reception with 50 cm dishes.

The Ka-band footprint for satellite broadband provides full service coverage centred on central Europe and extending to France, Italy, the Balkans, the United Kingdom, and southern Sweden and Norway.^[11]

The satellite is fitted with 60 Ku-band transponders.^[12]

Launch delay

The launch of Astra 2E was intended to be by International Launch Services (ILS) Proton-M launch vehicle on 21 July 2013,^[14] but the previous launch of this launch vehicle on 2 July 2013, carrying three Russian GLONASS navigation satellites, ended with the exploding shortly after lift off and the Proton launch programme was postponed.^[15] The fault with the failed rocket was found to be the incorrect installation of three angular rate sensors, Roscosmos reported,^[16] and the launch programme was recommenced in September 2013.

Television channels on Astra 2E

Below is a list, as of September 2024^[update], of the TV channels broadcast from Astra 2E on its UK Beam and European Beam (the UK Beam is the most difficult to receive outside Britain and its islands):^[17]

In the list, television channels broadcast with a one-hour delay are shown Channel +1hr. Where both the original and the delayed channel are broadcast from the same transponder, this is shown in one entry as Channel [also +1hr].

UK Beam

Tp41 10.714 GHz H 22000 5/6:

4Seven
Channel 4 London +1hr
Channel 4 North +1hr
Channel 4 Scotland +1hr
Channel 4 South & East +1hr
E4 Extra
E4 UK [also +1hr]
Film4 UK [also +1hr]
More4 UK [also +1hr]

Tp45 10.773 GHz H 23000 3/4 DVB-S2:

BBC One North East & Cumbria HD
BBC One North West HD
BBC One Yorkshire HD
BBC Parliament HD
BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

Tp46 10.788 GHz V 23000 3/4 DVB-S2:

BBC One Channel Islands HD
BBC One South West HD
BBC One West HD
BBC Red Button 1 HD
BBC Scotland HD

Tp48 10.818 GHz V 23000 3/4 DVB-S2:

CBeebies HD
BBC Four HD
BBC One East HD
BBC One East Midlands HD
BBC One London HD
BBC Two Wales HD

Tp50 10.847 GHz V 23000 3/4 DVB-S2:

CBBC HD
BBC One Northern Ireland HD
BBC One South East HD
BBC One Yorks & Lincs HD
BBC Three HD
BBC Two England HD

Tp53 10.891 GHz H 22000 5/6:

ITV 2 [also +1hr]
ITV 3 +1hr
ITV 4 +1hr
ITV 1 Central West [also +1hr]
ITV 1 Granada [also +1hr]
ITV 1 London [also +1hr]
ITV 1 Meridian East [also +1hr]
STV East
STV North

Tp56 10.936 GHz V 22000 5/6 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

Channel 4 Ireland +1hr
E4 Ireland [also +1hr]
More 4 Ireland

Tp113 11.386 GHz H 27500 2/3 DVB-S2:

ITV 1 Channel TV HD
ITV 1 Granada HD
ITV 1 Tyne Tees HD
ITV 1 Wales HD
ITV 1 Westcountry South West HD
TV 1 Westcountry West HD
ITV 2 HD

Tp114 11.386 GHz V 27500 2/3 DVB-S2:

ITV 1 Anglia East HD
ITV 1 Border England HD
ITV 1 Yorkshire East HD
ITV 4 HD
ITV Be HD
STV West HD
UTV HD

Tp115 11.426 GHz H 27500 2/3 (encrypted in Conax):

The Racing Partnership

Tp116 11.426 GHz V 29500 8/9 DVB-S2: France 24 English HD S4C S4C HD TJC HD

Tp34 12.363 GHz V 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

Alibi UK HD
Channel 4 Scotland (unencrypted)
Channel 4 South & East (unencrypted)
Gold UK HD
ITV 1 London HD (unencrypted)
Nickelodeon UK HD
RTÉ 2 HD
Sky Sci-Fi HD
TG 4 HD

Virgin Media Four HD

European Beam

Tp3 11.758 GHz H 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

Channel 4 Ireland HD
Cúla 4 HD
Sky Documentaries UK HD
Sky Crime Ireland HD
Sky Sports Box Office HD
Sky Sports Golf Ireland HD
TNT Sports Box Office UK HD
TNT Sports Box Office 2 Ireland HD
Utsav Gold HD
U&W UK HD

Tp8 11.856 GHz V 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

E4 UK HD
Eurosport 1 UK HD
Eurosport 2 UK HD
Sky Showcase Ireland
Sky Kids HD
Sky Sports+
Sky Sports Main Event Ireland HD
Virgin Media One HD
Virgin Media Two HD

Tp12 11.934 GHz V 27500 5/6 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

Premier Greyhound Racing
Sky Cinema Action
Sky Cinema Family
Sky Cinema Greats
Sky Cinema Premiere
Sky News UK (unencrypted)
Sky Max UK
Sky Showcase UK
Sky Sports+
Sky Sports Cricket
Sky Sports F1
Sky Sports Football UK
Sky Sports Golf UK
Sky Sports Main Event UK
Sky Sports Mix
Sky Sports News UK
Sky Sports NFL
Sky Sports Premier League UK

Tp16 12.012 GHz V 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

Sky History 2 HD
Sky Nature UK HD
Sky News UK HD
Sky Showcase UK HD
Sky Sports Football UK HD
Sky Sports Golf UK HD
Sky Sports Main Event UK HD
Sky Sports News UK HD
Sky Sports Premier League Ireland HD

Tp20 12.090 GHz V 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

Challenge Ireland (unencrypted)
Eurosport 1 UK
Eurosport 2 UK
National Geographic UK [also +1hr]
Sky Atlantic Ireland
Sky Atlantic UK [also +1hr]
Sky Comedy Ireland
Sky Crime UK [also +1hr]
Sky Max Ireland
Sky News Arabia (unencrypted)
Sky News Ireland (unencrypted)
Sky Showcase Ireland
Sky Sports Football Ireland
Sky Sports Golf Ireland
Sky Sports Main Event Ireland
Sky Sports News Ireland
Sky Sports Premier League Ireland
Sky Sports Tennis Ireland
Sky Witness Ireland
Sky Witness UK +1

References

^ "ASTRA 2E". N2YO.com. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
^ "ASTRA 2E successfully launched" (Press release). SES. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
^ Astra 2E Footprints SES Accessed 17 September 2018
^ "Astra 2E at Real Time Satellite Tracking And Predictions". Retrieved 30 December 2013.
^ "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.
^ Changes to BBC satellite transponders in 2013 12 December 2012 BBC Distribution blog Accessed 16 July 2013
^ "SES Orders Four New Satellites From ASTRIUM" (Press release). SES. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
^ "SES SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES ASTRA 2F SATELLITE" (Press release). SES. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
^ "ASTRA 2G SATELLITE ROARS INTO ORBIT" (Press release). SES. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
^ ASTRA 2F arrives at the Guiana Space Centre, Kourou August 23, 2012 SES blog Accessed August 26, 2012
^ ^a ^b Astra 2E factsheet on www.ses.com Accessed October 30, 2013
^ ^a ^b Ten things about ASTRA 2E Archived 2013-07-22 at the Wayback Machine 1 July 2013 SES blog Accessed 16 July 2013
^ Bains, Geoff "Flight of the Big Birds" What Satellite & Digital TV February 2012 pp.29
^ "SES' ASTRA 2E SATELLITE SHIPPED TO BAIKONUR COSMODROME FOR JULY 21 LAUNCH" (Press release). SES. 16 June 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
^ "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Report. 14 March 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
^ Incorrect installation of angular rate sensors behind July 2 Proton-M crash commission findings 18 July 2013 Interfax Accessed September 30, 2013
^ "Astra 2E at 28.2°E". LyngSat. Retrieved 29 September 2024.

External links

[n2yo-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.

[10] ASTRA 2F arrives at the Guiana Space Centre, Kourou August 23, 2012 SES blog Accessed August 26, 2012

[factsheet-11] Astra 2E factsheet on www.ses.com Accessed October 30, 2013

[tenthings-12] Ten things about ASTRA 2E Archived 2013-07-22 at the Wayback Machine 1 July 2013 SES blog Accessed 16 July 2013

[13] Bains, Geoff "Flight of the Big Birds" What Satellite & Digital TV February 2012 pp.29

[14] "SES' ASTRA 2E SATELLITE SHIPPED TO BAIKONUR COSMODROME FOR JULY 21 LAUNCH" (Press release). SES. 16 June 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.

[Lainch_Log-15] "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Report. 14 March 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.

[16] Incorrect installation of angular rate sensors behind July 2 Proton-M crash commission findings 18 July 2013 Interfax Accessed September 30, 2013

[17] "Astra 2E at 28.2°E". LyngSat. Retrieved 29 September 2024.

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v t e Satellites operated by SES
SES fleet	Active: SES-1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 (EchoStar 105) 12 14 15 16 (GovSat-1) 17
AMC fleet	Active: AMC-4 6 8 10 11 15 16 18 21 Backups: AMC-7 Retired: AMC-1 2 3 5 9 Failed launch: AMC-14
NSS fleet	Active: NSS-6 7 9 10 11 12 806 Retired: NSS-5 513 703 K Failed launch: NSS-8
Astra fleet	Active: Astra 1KR 1L 1M 1N 2E 2F 2G 3B 4A 5B Backups: Astra 1D 1F 1G 1H 2A 2B 2C 2D 3A To be activated: Astra 1P Retired: Astra 1A 1B 1C 1E 5A Sirius 3 Failed launch: Astra 1K Orbital positions: 5.0°E 19.2°E 23.5°E 28.2°E 31.5°E Subsidiary: SES Astra
Third parties	Active: Ciel-2 MonacoSAT QuetzSat 1 Yahsat 1A

v t e ← 2012 Orbital launches in 2013 2014 →
January	Kosmos 2482, Kosmos 2483, Kosmos 2484 JSE Reda 4, Jissho Eisei STSat-2C TDRS-11
February	Intelsat 27 Globalstar M078, M087, M093, M094, M095, M096 Azerspace-1/Africasat-1a, Amazonas 3 Progress M-18M Landsat 8 SARAL, Sapphire, NEOSSat, UniBRITE-1, TUGSAT-1, AAUSat-3, STRaND-1
March	SpaceX CRS-2 USA-241 Satmex 8 Soyuz TMA-08M
April	Anik G1 Bion-M No.1 (Aist 2, BeeSat-2, BeeSat-3, SOMP, Dove-2, OSSI-1) Cygnus Mass Simulator, Dove 1, Alexander, Graham, Bell Progress M-19M Gaofen 1, TurkSat-3USat, NEE-01 Pegaso, CubeBug-1 Kosmos 2485
May	Zhongxing 11 PROBA-V, VNREDSat-1, ESTCube-1 Eutelsat 3D USA-242 USA-243 Soyuz TMA-09M
June	SES-6 Albert Einstein ATV Kosmos 2486 / Persona №2 Shenzhou 10 Resurs-P No.1 O3b × 4 (PFM, FM2, FM4, FM5) Kosmos 2487 / Kondor № 202 IRIS
July	IRNSS-1A Uragan-M 48, 49, 50 Shijian XI-05 MUOS-2 Shijian 15, Shiyan 7, Chuangxin 3 Inmarsat-4A F4, INSAT-3D Progress M-20M
August	Kounotori 4 (TechEdSat-3, ArduSat-1, ArduSat-X, PicoDragon) USA-244 Arirang-5 USA-245 Eutelsat 25B / Es'hail 1, GSAT-7 / INSAT-4F Amos-4
September	Yaogan 17 A, B, C LADEE Gonets-M No.5, Gonets-M No.6, Gonets-M No.7 Hisaki USA-246 Cygnus Orb-D1 Fengyun III-03 Kuaizhou-1 Soyuz TMA-10M CASSIOPE, CUSat, POPACS 1, 2, 3, DANDE Astra 2E
October	Shijian 16 Sirius FM-6 Yaogan 18
November	Mars Orbiter Mission Soyuz TMA-11M Globus-1M No.13L MAVEN ORS-3, STPSat-3, Black Knight 1, CAPE-2, ChargerSat-1, COPPER, DragonSat-1, Firefly (satellite), Ho'oponopono-2, Horus, KySat-2, NPS-SCAT, ORSES, ORS Tech 1, 2, PhoneSat 2.4, Prometheus × 8, SENSE A, B, SwampSat, TJ³Sat, Trailblazer-1, Vermont Lunar CubeSat Yaogan 19 DubaiSat-2, STSAT-3, SkySat-1, UniSat-5 (Dove 4, ICube-1, HumSat-D, PUCP-Sat 1 (Pocket-PUCP), BeakerSat-1, $50SAT, QBScout-1, WREN), AprizeSat 7, 8, Lem, WNISat-1, GOMX-1, CubeBug-2, Delfi-n3Xt, Dove 3, First-MOVE, FUNcube-1, HINCube-1, KHUSat-1, KHUSat-2, NEE-02 Krysaor, OPTOS, Triton 1, UWE-3, VELOX-P2, ZACUBE-1, BPA-3 Swarm A, B, C Shiyan 5 Progress M-21M
December	Chang'e 3 (Yutu) SES-8 USA-247 / Topaz, TacSat-6 Inmarsat-5 F1 CBERS-3† Gaia Túpac Katari 1 Kosmos 2488 / Strela-3M 7, Kosmos 2489 / Strela-3M 8, Kosmos 2490 / Strela-3M 9, Kosmos-2491 Ekspress AM5 Aist 1, Kosmos 2491 / SKRL-756 1, Kosmos 2492 / SKRL-756 2
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).