ASTRA 2A launch success on Proton SES to provide first satellite for permanent operation at 28.2° East

The ASTRA 2A satellite of Luxembourg-based Société Européenne des Satellites (SES) was successfully launched with a Russian Proton D-1-e rocket from the Cosmodrome of Baikonur (Kazakhstan) in the early morning hours of August 30th, 1998 (06.31 am Baikonur time; 02.31 am CET; 00.31 am GMT). ASTRA 2A is the eighth SES satellite in the ASTRA series and the first to be permanently located at the orbital position of 28.2° East.

Built by Hughes Space & Communications...

The spacecraft was built by Hughes Space and Communications of El Segundo (California). ASTRA 2A is an HS 601 HP type spacecraft (HP = High Power), carrying up to 32 active transponders (for the first five years, 28 thereafter) with a TWTA (Travelling Wave Tube Amplifier) output power of 98.5 Watts. The satellite is equipped with XIPS (Xenon Ion Propulsion System) for in-orbit station keeping manoeuvres as well as conventional bi-propellant thrusters. Gallium arsenide solar cells provide ASTRA 2A with 7 kilowatts of electrical power. The satellite also has an advanced antenna design, using two large lightweight reflectors featuring Hughes' contoured-surface technology. The spacecraft weighed 3.635 kilograms at launch and is designed for 15 years of lifetime.

... launched by International Launch Services (ILS)

The launch services for ASTRA 2A onboard Proton were provided by International Launch Services (ILS), the joint venture between Lockheed-Martin of the United States, and Khrunichev and RSC Energia of Russia.

The first three stages of the Proton D-1-e launch vehicle carried ASTRA 2A into a support orbit at a perigee altitude of 179 kilometres and an apogee altitude of 215 kilometres with an inclination of 51.6°, which the satellite reached approximately ten minutes after lift-off from the Cosmodrome of Baikonur.

One hour and fourteen minutes after lift-off the fourth stage of the Proton launcher (Block DM) was ignited for the first time to raise the apogee altitude to 36.000 kilometres.

The fourth stage was fired for the second time six hours and twenty minutes after lift-off to inject the space head into transfer orbit. The perigee altitude was raised to 7.900 km. At the same time the inclination of the orbit was reduced from 51.6° to 15.6°.

Separation of the ASTRA 2A satellite from the fourth stage of the Proton rocket took place 20 minutes after the second ignition. The satellite was first acquired by a tracking station in Australia.

Within the next few days, four activations of ASTRA 2A's apogee motor will propel the satellite into geostationary orbit. The on-board apogee motor will be activated during the 4th, 6th, 8th and the 10th revolution around the earth.

The satellite's solar panels and its communications antennas will be deployed approximately 11 days into the mission. After thorough testing of all the on-board systems, ASTRA 2A will be positioned at the orbital location of 28.2° East and all services currently provided by ASTRA 1D at this orbital position will be switched to the new spacecraft. The satellite will start commercial service in approximately five weeks. Signed SES customers for digital transponder capacity at 28.2° East include: BSkyB, BBC, Flextech, Discovery, UKTV, Turner Broadcasting and Viacom.

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