Astra 1D
| Operator |
SES S.A. SES Astra |
|---|---|
| SATCAT № | 23331 |
| Mission duration | 12 years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | HS-601 |
| Manufacturer | Hughes |
| Launch mass | 2,924 kilograms (6,446 lb) |
| Power | 3,300 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | November 1, 1994 |
| Rocket | Ariane 4 |
| Launch site | Kourou ELA-2 |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geosynchronous |
| Longitude | 47.5°W |
| Slot | 47.5°W (2015-) 67.5°W (2014-2015) 52.2°E (2013-2014) Astra 23.5°E (2012-2013) 1.8°E (2010-2012) Astra 31.5°E (2007-2010) Astra 23.5°E (2004-2007) 23°E (2003-2004) 24.2°E (2001-2003) Astra 28.2°E (1999-2001) Astra 19.2°E (1998-1999) Astra 28.2°E (1998) Astra 19.2°E (1994-1998) |
| Perigee | 35,780 kilometres (22,230 mi) |
| Apogee | 35,806 kilometres (22,249 mi) |
| Inclination | 6.13 degrees |
| Period | 1436.13 minutes |
| Epoch | 23 January 2015, 23:23:20 UTC |
| Transponders | |
| Bandwidth | 26 megahertz |
| TWTA power | 63 ;W |
| EIRP | 50 decibel-watts |
Astra 1D is a geostationary communications satellite launched in 1994 by the Société Européenne des Satellites (SES). As of August 2012[update], the craft remains in service for occasional use.
Astra 1D was the fourth, and under original plans, last Astra communications satellite from SES. It was launched to SES' original solitary operational position at 19.2° east, and was intended as an in-orbit spare for Astra's 1A, 1B and 1C and to carry digital TV transmissions. However, development of digital reception equipment in Europe was not sufficiently advanced for Astra 1D to be SES' first digital satellite (the later Astra 1E fulfilled that role) and demand for additional capacity for both British and German television channels led to 12 of the satellite's transponders being leased to broadcast analogue TV channels before the satellite had been launched.
After launch to 19.2° east, Astra 1D served two periods as a spare at the Astra 28.2°E position colocated with Astra 2A, for seven months in 1998 and for 13 months from December 1999. In between these two periods, it returned to the Astra 19.2°E position. During this time, some small numbers of transponders were used for regular service. After other Astra craft (Astra 2B, Astra 2D) either arrived or were ordered for the slot, it moved to 24.2° east where it spent over two years carrying little more than test cards or feeds, until a move to 23° east (November 2003) and then 23.5° east (September 2004) where Euro1080 began to use it as their main transmitting craft.
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