Astra 3B
Astra 3B is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by SES, launched in 2010 to the Astra 23.5°E orbital position providing digital television and radio for direct-to-home (DTH), and the AstraConnect two-way satellite broadband services across Europe and the Middle East.
| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | SES Astra / SES S.A. |
| COSPAR ID | 2010-021A |
| SATCAT no. | 36581 |
| Website | https://www.ses.com/ |
| Mission duration | 15 years (planned) 13 years, 8 months, 26 days (elapsed) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Eurostar |
| Bus | Eurostar-3000 |
| Manufacturer | Astrium (now Airbus Defence and Space) |
| Launch mass | 5,472 kg (12,064 lb) |
| Power | 10 kW |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 21 May 2010, 22:01 UTC |
| Rocket | Ariane 5ECA (V194) |
| Launch site | Centre Spatial Guyanais, ELA-3 |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| Entered service | June 2010 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Geostationary orbit |
| Longitude | 23.5° East |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 64 transponders: 60 Ku-band 4 Ka-band |
| Bandwidth | 33 and 36 MHz |
| Coverage area | Europe, Middle East |
The satellite is also used to provide the one-way Othernet internet access service to Europe that, using small lightweight receiver stations, is designed to eventually provide news, weather, educational and other media to communities with no other access to the internet.
Astra 3B was used by SES to broadcast its first demonstration Ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) (8K) television signal in May 2018.
In the summer of 2023, Astra 5B was moved from 31.5° East to co-locate with Astra 3B at 23.5°E. Subsequently, Astra 5B was renamed Astra 3C and broadcast channels on Astra 3B began to be transferred, prompting speculation that Astra 3B was reaching the end of its commercial life some two years short of the planned mission duration.