Manufacture & launch

Each ASTRA satellite weighs up to five tons and takes about three years to build. Extensive testing is carried out throughout the manufacturing process to ensure that the satellites perform perfectly in space.

Satellites manufacturers:

So far these three companies have build ASTRA satellites:

Boeing Satellite Systems (formerly Hughes Space and Communications) built ASTRA 1C–1H, ASTRA 2A, ASTRA 2C–2D and ASTRA 3A
EADS Astrium (formerly Matra Marconi Space) built ASTRA 2B and ASTRA 1M, and is currently building ASTRA 3B
Lockheed Martin built ASTRA 1B and ASTRA 1KR, and ASTRA 1L

Launch companies:

Two companies have launched ASTRA satellites:

Arianespace is a European consortium. It uses Ariane rockets, which are launched from the European Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. ASTRA 1A to 1E and ASTRA 3A were launched using the Ariane 4 rocket; ASTRA 2B and 2D were launched on Ariane 5.

ILS is a US-based joint venture owned by Lockheed Martin, Khrunichev Enterprises and RSC Energia. ILS uses the Russian Proton rocket, which is manufactured by Moscow-based Khrunichev Enterprise. The version used for ASTRA satellites is called Proton D1e. It uses a Block DM upper stage manufactured by RSC Energia of Moscow. Proton is launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

In April 1996, ASTRA 1F was the first commercial western satellite to be launched on Proton. ASTRA 1G, 2A, 1H and 2C followed.

Ariane and Proton launch vehicles are powerful enough to place payloads of up to five tons into orbit.

The launch

After completion, the newly manufactured satellite is transferred to the launch site for final testing and fuelling, before being mated to the launch vehicle. The launch is a complex operation conducted in several stages, which differ according to the system used.

An Ariane rocket launches the satellites into an elliptical temporary transfer orbit, typically as close as 200km (with Ariane 4) or 560km (with Ariane 5) to the Earth, but possibly as far as 36,000km. Firing its on-board thrusters, the satellite then propels itself into its final circular geostationary orbit at 36,000km.

A Proton rocket fitted with a powerful and re-ignitable Block DM fourth stage takes the satellite higher (at least several thousand kilometres from the Earth, depending on the launch mass of the satellite). This reduces the amount of velocity (energy) required to reach geostationary orbit, which means satellites launched on Proton generally retain higher fuel reserves.