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Astra 2G
Names Eutelsat 28G
Mission type Communications
Operator SES
COSPAR ID 2014-089A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.40364
Website https://www.ses.com/
Mission duration15 years (planned)
9 years, 2 months, 16 days (elapsed)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type Eurostar
Bus Eurostar-3000
Manufacturer Astrium
(now Airbus Defence and Space)
Launch mass6,020 kg (13,270 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date27 December 2014, 21:37:49 UTC
Rocket Proton-M / Briz-M
Launch site Baikonur, Site 200/39
Contractor Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Entered serviceJune 2015
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit [1]
Regime Geostationary orbit
Longitude28.2° East
Transponders
Band66 transponders:
62 Ku-band
4 Ka-band
Bandwidth250 / 500 / 600 MHz
Coverage areaEurope
←  Astra 5B
 

Astra 2G is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by SES, launched to the Astra 28.2°E orbital position on 27 December 2014, at 21:37:49 UTC from Baikonur Cosmodrome. [2]

Astra 2G is positioned at 28.5° East (part of the Astra 28.2°E orbital position) and is the last of three "second generation" satellites launched to this position to replace the first generation Astra 2A, Astra 2B, Astra 2C and Astra 2D satellites originally positioned there between 1998 and 2001, and it joined Astra 2E and Astra 2F launched in 2013 and 2012, respectively. [3]

Market

Astra 2G carries both Ku-band and Ka-band payloads and will deliver broadcast, VSAT and broadband services to Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and will also provide the ability to connect West Africa to Europe via Ka-band. [4] The Astra 28.2° East position was established in 1998 to provide digital television, digital radio and multimedia services to the United Kingdom and Ireland, and a major part of Astra 2G's mission is to continue, extend and backup this provision. Along with Astra 2E and Astra 2F it will deliver programming to almost 13 million satellite homes, over 3 million cable homes, and 700,000 Internet Protocol television (IPTV_ homes in the United Kingdom and Ireland, in particular for channels from the major United Kingdom digital satellite television platforms, BSkyB and Freesat.

Astra 2G also supports SATMED, a satellite-based e-health platform developed by SES and supported by the Luxembourg Government and the Ministry for Cooperation and Humanitarian Action which enables communication between doctors, enabling the transfer and exchange of medical knowledge and supporting tools for medical e-learning and e-teaching to improve public health in emerging and developing countries, particularly in isolated areas. [2]

Broadcasting footprints

Astra 2G has three Ku-band downlink beams and one Ka-band beam: [4]

  • The European beam is centred on the Benelux countries with reception from a 60 cm (24 in) dish available across most of Europe - west to the Portuguese eastern border, east to Belarus, north to Estonia and south to coast of North Africa.
  • The UK beam provides maximum signal (for reception with 45 cm (18 in) dishes) over the whole United Kingdom, Ireland, Benelux and northern France with a sharp roll-off of signal level outside this region, in close approximation of the UK beam of Astra 2D. This enables channels to be broadcast free-to-air but with reception effectively constrained to the British Isles, and has been the basis for the Freesat free-to-air United Kingdom platform. [5]
  • The strongest signals of the West Africa beam (receivable on 50 cm (20 in) dishes) covers Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and northern Cameroon, with additional "lobes" for parts of Gabon and Congo. Reception on larger dishes is available across the entire sub-Saharan west Africa region.
  • The Ka-band footprint is centred on France with coverage over all of western Europe.

History

The launch of Astra 2G was intended to be from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by International Launch Services (ILS) Proton-M launch vehicle a month earlier, on 28 November 2014 but technical problems with the launch vehicle caused it to be rolled back from the launch pad to undergo a component replacement. The satellite had arrived at Baikonur on 29 October 2014 after a delayed flight from Europe - an emergency landing of the transport aircraft in the city of Ulyanovsk due to engine trouble required replacement of the aircraft's engine and a two-day delay. [6]

Finally launched successfully on 27 December 2014, at 21:37:49 UTC, [7] the satellite was initially positioned at 21.0° East for three months and then tested at 43.5° East, [8] [9] before moving to the Astra 28.2° East position in June 2015. [10]

On 18 June 2015, the first six channels, including ITV and Channel 4, began broadcasting from Astra 2G, [11] transferred from Astra 2E, Astra 2F and, in particular from Eutelsat 28A, which was some two years beyond its expected end-of-life and operating with some transponders considerably under power. [12] The final Eutelsat 28A channels, including the Freesat EPG data channel, transferred to Astra 2G on 29 June 2015. [13]

Active transponders

Below is a list of the television channels broadcast to the UK and Ireland from active transponders on Astra 2G as of May 2023: [14]

In the list, channels broadcast with a one-hour delay are shown as Channel +1hr. Where both the original and the delayed channel are broadcast from the same transponder, this is shown in one entry as Channel [also +1hr].

UK Beam

Tp61 11.023 GHz H 23000 3/4 DVB-S2:

  • BBC One Wales HD
  • BBC One West Midlands HD
  • BBC One Scotland HD
  • BBC News HD
  • BBC Alba HD

Tp63 11.053 GHz H 23000 3/4 DVB-S2:

  • ITV 2 HD (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • ITV Granada HD
  • ITV Tyne Tees HD
  • ITV Wales HD
  • ITV Westcountry South West HD
  • ITV Westcountry West HD

Tp64 11.068 GHz V 23000 3/4 DVB-S2:

  • ITV 4 HD
  • ITV Anglia East HD
  • ITV Border England HD
  • ITV Yorkshire East HD
  • STV West HD
  • Ulster TV HD

Tp66 11.097 GHz V 23000 3/4 DVB-S2:

  • ITV 3 HD
  • ITV Anglia West HD
  • ITV Central East HD
  • ITV Meridian South Coast HD
  • ITV Meridian Thames Valley HD
  • ITV Yorkshire West HD

Tp68 11.126 GHz V 22000 5/6:

  • Channel 4 London HD
  • 4seven

European Beam

Tp62 11.038 GHz V 22000 5/6 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

  • Animal Planet UK +1hr
  • Discovery Channel Ireland
  • Discovery Channel UK +1hr
  • Discovery History +1hr
  • Discovery Science UK +1hr
  • Discovery Turbo UK +1hr
  • DMAX Ireland (unencrypted)
  • HGTV Ireland (unencrypted)
  • Investigation Discovery Ireland
  • Investigation Discovery UK [also +1hr]
  • Quest Red Ireland (unencrypted)
  • TLC Ireland
  • TLC UK +1hr

Tp63 11.082 GHz H 22000 5/6:

  • Alibi Ireland (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Ahlulbayt TV
  • Blaze UK
  • CNN International Europe
  • Gem Collector
  • Gold Ireland (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Inspiration TV
  • Now 80's
  • Sewing Street
  • Sikh Channel
  • Spotlight TV
  • Viaplay Sports 2 (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • W Ireland
  • Yarn Lane

Tp67 11.112 GHz H 22000 5/6:

  • Arise News
  • ARY Digital UK
  • ARY World
  • Brit Asia TV
  • Channel 7
  • Dunya News UK
  • Faith UK
  • Gems TV
  • Geo News International
  • Iqra Bangla
  • Iqra TV
  • Islam Channel
  • Islam TV
  • MATV Channel
  • TJC Beauty

Tp69 11.141 GHz H 22000 5/6 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

  • Comedy Central Ireland
  • Comedy Central UK [also +1hr]
  • Comedy Central Extra Ireland
  • MTV Hits UK
  • MTV Music UK
  • Nick Junior Ireland
  • Nick Junior Too Ireland
  • Nick Junior UK [also +1hr]
  • Nickelodeon Ireland
  • Nickelodeon UK +1hr
  • NickToons Ireland

Tp71 11.171 GHz H 22000 5/6 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

  • Akaal Channel UK (unencrypted)
  • Boomerang UK [also +1hr]
  • Cartoon Network UK [also +1hr]
  • Cartoonito UK
  • Nickelodeon UK
  • Racing TV
  • TCM Movies [also +1hr]
  • WildEarth HD

Tp106 11.224 GHz V 23000 2/3 DVB-S2:

  • Arirang World HD
  • NHK World TV HD
  • MTA 1 World HD
  • Zee TV UK (encrypted in VideoGuard)

Tp107 11.264 GHz H 27500 2/3:

  • 4Music
  • Film 4 Ireland (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Kerrang!
  • Kiss TV
  • Magic TV
  • The Box UK

Tp108 11.264 GHz V 27500 2/3:

  • Dunamis TV
  • EWTN
  • Islam Channel Bangla
  • Islam Channel Urdu
  • Revelation TV
  • TBN
  • WION HD
  • Zee TV UK (encrypted in VideoGuard)

Tp89 11.464 GHz H 22000 5/6:

  • Aastha UK
  • Adult various (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • British Muslim TV
  • Colors Cineplex (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Colors Rishtey Europe (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Cruise 1st TV
  • Euronews English
  • NTV Europe
  • PTC Punjabi
  • Samaa TV
  • Sanskar TV
  • TV One
  • Utsav Bharat

Tp90 11.479 GHz V 22000 5/6:

  • B4U Music UK (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • B4U Movies UK (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Colors UK (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • CNBC UK
  • Hidyat TV
  • London Live (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Madani Channel English
  • Panjab Broadcasting Channel
  • Sangat TV
  • Siraj TV
  • TVC News Nigeria
  • TRT World
  • Utsav Gold (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Utsav Plus (encrypted in VideoGuard)

Tp91 11.494 GHz H 22000 5/6:

  • QVC Beauty
  • QVC Extra
  • QVC Style UK HD
  • QVC UK HD

Tp92 11.509 GHz V 23000 2/3 DVB-S2:

Tp94 11.538 GHz V 22000 5/6:

  • 92 News
  • Ahlebait TV
  • ATN Bangla UK
  • Imam Hussein TV 3
  • Ion TV
  • KICC TV
  • Politics Punjab
  • Showcase TV
  • SportyStuff TV HD
  • The Word Network
  • UK 44

Tp95 11.553 GHz H 22000 5/6:

  • Channels 24
  • Clubland
  • Craft Extra
  • Deen TV
  • High Street TV2
  • High Street TV3
  • Hum Masala UK
  • Hum TV Europe
  • NDTV 24x7
  • Noor TV
  • Now Rock
  • NTD
  • PTV Global
  • SBN International
  • The Jewellery Channel

Tp96 11.568 GHz V 22000 5/6:

  • Aaj Tak UK
  • Best Direct
  • Court TV UK
  • Direct Store TV
  • Faith World TV
  • Gemporia Lifestyle
  • Geo UK
  • God TV
  • High Street TV1
  • High Street TV4
  • HobbyMaker
  • JewelleryMaker
  • JML Direct
  • Rok UK
  • SET Asia (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Sony SAB TV Asia (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Sony Max2 (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Takbeer TV
  • Travelxp
  • TV Warehouse

Tp97 11.582 GHz H 22000 5/6:

  • Aljazeera English HD
  • Channel S
  • Eman Channel
  • Foodxp
  • Ideal World Extra
  • Kanshi TV
  • Now 70s
  • Pitaara International
  • Sony Max UK (encrypted in VideoGuard)
  • Talking Pictures TV
  • That's 60s
  • That's TV

Tp98 11.597 GHz V 22000 5/6 (encrypted in VideoGuard):

  • Arise Play (unencrypted)
  • ARY QTV UK (unencrypted)
  • Create and Craft HD (unencrypted)
  • Crime + Investigation UK [also +1hr]
  • New Media HD (unencrypted)
  • Sky History [also +1hr]
  • Sky History 2
  • Sky Sports Racing UK
  • Zee Cinema UK

Tp100 11.627 GHz V 22000 5/6:

  • Comedy Central UK HD
  • Comedy Central Extra UK
  • MTV 80s
  • MTV 90s
  • MTV Ireland
  • MTV UK
  • MTV UK HD
  • Nick Jr UK HD
  • NickToons UK

Tp101 11.641 GHz H 23000 2/3 DVB-S2:

  • Phoenix CNE HD

Tp103 11.671 GHz H 23000 2/3 DVB-S2:

  • CNN International Europe HD
  • EarthxTV HD
  • Ideal World HD
  • Loveworld TV HD

Tp104 11.686 GHz V 23000 2/3 DVB-S2:

  • Bloomberg TV UK HD
  • Daystar TV HD
  • France 24 English HD
  • The Jewellery Channel HD
  • Viaplay Sports 1 (encrypted in VideoGuard)

See also

References

  1. ^ "ASTRA 2G". N2YO.com. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Astra 2G Satellite Roars Into Orbit" (Press release). SES. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  3. ^ "SES Orders Four New Satellites From ASTRIUM" (Press release). SES. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  4. ^ a b ASTRA 2G Archived 2014-12-28 at the Wayback Machine SES Fact Sheet January 2015 Accessed January 3, 2014
  5. ^ Bains, Geoff "Flight of the Big Birds" What Satellite & Digital TV February 2012 pp.29
  6. ^ "Proton Technical Issues Postpone ILS Launch of Astra 2G" (Press release). SpaceNews. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  7. ^ Successful Proton Mission Caps busy Year of Russian Space Launches Archived 26 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine Spaceflight 101 December 27, 2014 Accessed October 28, 2016
  8. ^ Single Satellite View for ASTRA 2G accessed March 3, 2015
  9. ^ Astra 2G: Testing at 43.5°E accessed May 18, 2015
  10. ^ Real Time Satellite Tracking And Predictions Accessed June 29, 2015
  11. ^ [1] Sat and PC Guy blog June 1, 2015 Accessed June 26, 2015
  12. ^ RACE AGAINST TIME TO REPLACE FAILING EUROBIRD SATELLITE Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine Best TV Choice June 1, 2015 Accessed June 29, 2015
  13. ^ Freesat EPG and last few channels transfer from Eutelsat 28A to new Astra 2 satellites Sat and PC Guy blog June 29, 2015 Accessed June 29, 2015
  14. ^ "Astra 2G at 28.2°E". LyngSat. Retrieved 31 May 2023.

External links