ASTRA 2A READY FOR TAKE-OFF Launch onboard Proton set for August 30th, 1998

Société Européenne des Satellites (SES) is pleased to announce that the final launch preparations for its ASTRA 2A satellite are underway at the Cosmodrome of Baikonur (Kazakhstan).

A Proton D-1-e launch vehicle is scheduled to carry ASTRA 2A into geostationary transfer orbit during the early morning hours of August 30th, 1998. The launch window for ASTRA 2A opens at 06.31 a.m. Baikonur time (August 30th, 1998), i.e. 02.31 a.m. CET and 00.31 GMT.

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

ASTRA 2A is the eighth satellite in the ASTRA constellation and the first to be permanently positioned at 28.2° East. Built by Hughes Space and Communications of California, ASTRA 2A is an HS 601 HP type spacecraft (HP=High Power). At end of life, it will carry 28 active transponders, powered by 98.5 Watt travelling wave tube amplifiers. A successful launch and in-orbit deployment will establish 28.2° East as the prime orbital position for the distribution of digital satellite services targeting the UK and Ireland. Signed SES customers for digital transponder capacity at 28.2° East include: BSkyB, BBC, Flextech, Discovery, UKTV, Turner Broadcasting and Viacom.

Live launch coverage from Baikonur on ASTRA 19.2° E and 28.2°E

The launch of ASTRA 2A onboard Proton will be broadcast free-to-air on ASTRA. Live transmissions from Baikonur can be received across Europe with a satellite dish pointing at the orbital locations of 19.2° East or 28.2° East. For analogue reception from 19.2° East viewers should tune into ASTRA transponder No. 51 (10.74375 GHz; H-polarisation). A digital feed is available via ASTRA transponder No. 108 (12.55150 GHz; V-polarisation). Digital reception is also ensured via ASTRA transponder Nr. 18 (12.05100 GHz; V-polarisation) at 28.2° East. The broadcast from Baikonur is scheduled to start at 02.00 a.m. CET (00.00 a.m. GMT) on August 30th, 1998. It will end approximately 15 minutes after the take-off of the Proton launch vehicle carrying ASTRA 2A into geosynchronous transfer orbit.

For further information please contact: