Astra 2C
Astra 2C is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by Société Eurpéenne des Satellites. 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 | Société Européenne des Satellites / SES S.A. |
| COSPAR ID | 2001-025A |
| SATCAT no. | 26853 |
| Website | https://www.ses.com/ |
| Mission duration | 15 years (planned) 22 years, 9 months, 24 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 |
| 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 |
Astra constellation | |
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.
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.