The ASTRA 1L satellite will provide significant benefits to the ASTRA customers at 19.2E upon its commercial launch in May 2007.
ASTRA 1L’s primary mission will be to provide direct-to-home broadcast services across Europe from its location at 19.2º East. ASTRA 1L will also strengthen the in-orbit backup system, extend fleet coverage from the Canary Islands eastwards up to the Russian border, and allow ASTRA 2C to move from 19.2º East to 28.2º to fulfill high capacity demand from the U.K. and Ireland.
Furthermore, ASTRA 1L will extend ASTRA's Ka-band capabilities--currently available solely via ASTRA 1H--through a secondary, Ka-band payload built on its Lockheed Martin A2100 AXS bus. ASTRA 1L is equipped with 31 active transponders, which will be reduced to 27 active transponders after its first five years of operation.
Satellite Facts
Satellite construction information
Construction: June 2003 - March 2007
in Newton (PHL) and Sunnyvale (San
Francisco)
Transport to Kourou: by a Russian Antonov Cargo plane
from Sunnyvale to Kourou
Satellite launch information
Launch date:03.05.2007
Launch vehicle:Ariane V ECA
Launch site:Kourou, French Guiana
Launch mass: 4500 kg
Satellite orbital information
Satellite manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Satellite type: A2100 AX
Orbital location: 19.2 degrees East Longitude
Stabilization system: 3-axis type
Total power consumption: 13,074 W
Satellite transponder information
Transponder capacity: 25 Ku + 2 Ka End of Life
29 Ku + 2 Ka First Five Years
TWTA output power:140 W (Ku Band)
128 W (Ka Band)
EIRP: 46 to 54.5 dBW
All transponders are eclipse protected
Transponder bandwidth: 26 MHz (Bands A,B,C and G)
33 MHz (Band F)
500 MHz (Ka Band)
Channel capacity
10.7-12.75 GHz:72 Ku band channels
(Bands A, B, C, F, G)
18.3-18.8 GHz: 2 Ka band channels