SES Astra

SES ASTRA S. A. is one of the forerunners of today's satellite operator SES SA with a fleet of geostationary broadcasting and telecommunications satellite. SES ASTRA went forth 2001 as a subsidiary of the then newly formed SES Global and was responsible for the commercial and technical marketing of the ASTRA satellites. In May 2011, SES ASTRA has been in the management of SES SA transferred. The term "ASTRA " (Latin astrum, star ') and its logo is by SES SA currently used as a trademark and continues to serve the naming of a part of the spacecraft of the SES fleet. The SES S. A. operates a subsidiary ASTRA Germany GmbH, based in Unterföhring near Munich for marketing their services in Germany. It is headed by Wolfgang Elsaesser since 2004.

Purpose

The spacecraft of the SES Astra serve primarily the direct reception of satellite broadcasting, usually with 60 to 90 cm parabolic antenna, also called satellite dish. This digital TV and radio channels can be received via 242 transponders from over 142 million households in Europe over 2500. Astras principle of co- positioning, in which several satellites are arranged close to each other within a cube with an edge length of 150 km, enables the use of all frequencies in the Ku- band on an orbital position - which would be with only one satellite is currently not possible. In addition, with the transfer quickly reserve transponders for other satellites, if a satellite has a glitch ..

History

In March 1985, the Société Européenne des Satellites (SES SA) was founded with the aim to commercialize a communication satellite named " ASTRA " for direct reception with a single dish. This should be achieved by rapidly progressing technological development in LNB technology are possible, which allowed private households, with relatively handy satellite dishes of yet only 1.2 meters in diameter direct reception of low power (20 watts per transponder) to practice post- communications satellites.

It was a logical conclusion of the SES that let the necessary size to a bowl for the first time really suitable for the masses format of 75 cm and reduce less through the use of modern satellite with an EIRP of 51 dBW.

Due to the failure of the satellite TV Sat 1 November 21, 1987 ( a solar panel of the TV satellite could not reveal) was the time bonus of national direct satellite playful and paved the way for the market success of which was launched on December 11, 1988 Astra 1A free. Although TV - Sat 2 started yet August 8, 1989, too late, the private project ASTRA had beaten the multibillion dollar state TV satellite project in Germany.

After the success of the ASTRA satellites had already shown a short time after its commissioning in February 1989, the SES decided to build another satellite and let start to orbit. Here sat the SES on a technical innovation: Astra 1B was launched in March 1991 and maneuvered in the same orbital position as ASTRA 1A (19.2 ° East in about 36,000 km above the equator). By using an adjacent frequency range to ASTRA 1A, the number of television channels was increased from 16 to 32 transponders.

The ASTRA satellite systems was enhanced by co-location at 19.2 ° East between 1993 and 1999 for a further six satellites ( Astra 1C -1H ). This makes the whole Ku-band 10.7 to 12.75 GHz in the downlink was used and a total of 120 transponders ( including 64 analogue and 56 digital transponder used ) offered. 1998 another orbital position at 28.2 degrees East was opened, which, however, an agreement between SES and the competing satellite operator Eutelsat required, since this already took to 28.5 ° East in claim frequency ranges.

In the years 1998 to 2001, the SES SA took over Company shares of other satellite operators ( including NSAB, Embratel and GE Americom ). SES Global was in consequence in 2001 as a holding company, SES ASTRA SA established as a subsidiary. 2011, the operational separation between SES and SES ASTRA has been lifted.

Orbital positions

The satellite is expected to move back to the position at 28.2 East. Currently no transponder occupancy

Since March 22, 2014 in orbit. Currently no transponder occupancy

Launch scheduled for September 2014

At present, most of them with the positions of 19.2 ° East and 28.2 ° East for direct reception significance. The satellites at 19.2 ° East aimed at continental Europe with a very high proportion of German stations and some stations in other European languages ​​such as French, Spanish, Italian, English and Polish. The satellites at 28.2 ° East, however, depend on the needs of the UK, especially with the BOD pay-TV and the broadcasters the BBC.

Cable Germany, Unity Media, Kabel BW and other cable operators led to April 2011, the signals for the cable headends encrypted to Astra 3 because no nationwide fiber network was present. For lack of space at 19.2 ° East to be after the main position for Dutch stations Astra 3 after and, therefore, part of the Dutch Canal Digitaal bouquets and already all the regional channels are broadcast on 23.5 ° East.

SES 2014 plans yet to start another Astra satellites:

Antenna alignment

The Astra satellite at 19.2 ° East, which has the greatest importance for the German -speaking world, is stationary 36,000 km above the equator. Therefore, a satellite dish in Central Europe from the south must be easy to east differ (azimuth angle) and directed slightly upward (elevation angle). For the Astra satellite at 19.2 ° East following elevation and azimuth angles values ​​apply (see also: Horizontal angle):

For any satellite and any reception places the elevation and azimuth angles can be calculated according to formulas (see: Geostationary satellite ).

Special services

Some of the satellites are equipped with special techniques, such as with

  • Skyplex, a multiplex method for satellite
  • SATMODE, a service for interactive television
  • Digital platform Entavio
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