Astra 5B
| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | SES |
| Mission duration | 15 years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | Eurostar-3000 |
| Manufacturer |
Airbus Defence and Space (formerly Astrium) |
| Launch mass | 6,000 kilograms (13,000 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | March 22, 2014 |
| Rocket | Ariane 5 ECA V216 |
| Launch site | Kourou |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Geostationary |
| Longitude | 31.5° East |
| Slot | Astra 31.5°E |
Astra 5B is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by SES. It was launched as SES' 56th satellite in March 2014, to the newest of the Astra orbital positions for direct to home (DTH) satellite TV, at 31.5°E for DTH, DTT and cable use in Eastern Europe,.
The satellite will replace the Astra 1G satellite currently at 31.5°E, which is itself filling in at that position after the loss of the Astra 5A satellite (originally called Sirius 2) in 2009Astra 2C was first used at 31.5°E to replace Astra 5A, with Astra 1G positioned there in 2010.
Astra 5B is the third satellite to be launched of four ordered together by SES from Astrium (now Airbus Defence and Space) in 2009. The similar Astra 2E and Astra 2F were launched to Astra 28.2°E before Astra 5B in 2013 and 2012, respectively, and the fourth, Astra 2G was launched later, in 2014.
The Astra 5B satellite provided two Ku-band broadcast beams, each of horizontal and vertical polarisation, across two footprints, called the High Power beam and the Wide beam.
Within these reception areas, Astra 5B will provide capacity for DTH broadcasting, direct-to-cable, and contribution feeds to digital terrestrial television networks.
The satellite will also carry a hosted L-band payload for the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS).
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