Astra 2E
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 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.
| 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) 10 years, 4 months, 8 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 |
After launch, Astra 2E underwent in-orbit testing at 43.5° East and began commercial operations at 28.2° East in February 2014. 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.
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. The first, Astra 2F, was launched in 2012, and the third, Astra 2G, was launched on 27 December 2014.)
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.