ASTRA 2B ready for take-off

Launch of the tenth satellite in the ASTRA constellation onboard Ariane 5 set for September 14th, 2000

Société Européenne des Satellites (SES) is pleased to announce that the final preparations for the launch of the ASTRA 2B satellite are underway at the European Space Port in Kourou (French Guyana).

ASTRA 2B, the tenth satellite in the ASTRA constellation, will be the second to be permanently co-positioned at 28.2° East. The spacecraft features up to 30 Ku-Band transponders (11.70 - 12.75 GHz), powered by 109 Watt Travelling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTA's). When co-positioned with the existing ASTRA 2A, the spacecraft will allow SES to activate up to 56 transponders at 28.2° East.

ASTRA 2B is scheduled to be carried into geo-stationary transfer orbit during the early evening of 14th September 2000. The launch window for Ariane Flight 130 opens at 7.54 pm Kourou time, (i.e. 00.54 a.m. Central European time on 15.9.00 or 11.54 pm UK time on 14.9.00).

This sixth SES/ASTRA launch onboard an Ariane launch vehicle will be a truly European event: ASTRA 2B, built by Astrium (formerly Matra Marconi Space), will be the first European manufactured commercial spacecraft to be launched on behalf of a European satellite operator on the new heavy-lift European Ariane 5 booster.

Live launch coverage from Kourou on ASTRA

The launch of ASTRA 2B onboard Ariane 5 will be broadcast free-to-air in analogue and digital on ASTRA 19.2° East and in digital via 28.2° East. The live transmission from Kourou is scheduled to begin at 00.40 am Central European time on the 15.09.00. To watch the broadcast on ASTRA at 19.2° East viewers can tune to:

In the UK, viewers receiving Sky Digital at 28.2° East should tune to Trp. 25, downlink frequency 12187.50 MHz.

The broadcast will end approximately 45 minutes after take-off of the Ariane 5 launch vehicle carrying ASTRA 2B into geosynchronous transfer orbit.

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