Astra 2F Launch - September 21st

Apogee

Worth noting as this is intended to be the main "Freesat satellite" for the forseeable future.

http://www.ses.com/4233127/upcoming-launches

SES announced that the ASTRA 2F satellite has arrived at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, where it will now be processed for launch aboard an Ariane V rocket. The launch is scheduled for 21st September 2012.

“ASTRA 2F has an important mission to ensure fleet continuity at 28.2 degrees East, well ahead of the end of life of the current ASTRA satellites located at this orbital position”


The ASTRA 2F satellite was designed and built for SES by EADS Astrium, a leading manufacturer of commercial satellites. It is a powerful six-ton satellite with a design lifetime of 15 years, built on the Eurostar E3000 platform.

The multi-mission satellite will be located at 28.2 degrees East and carry Ku- and Ka-band payloads for the delivery of high performance Direct-to-Home (DTH) and next generation broadband services in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

28.2 degrees East is one of SES' prime orbital positions serving premium broadcasters, including BSkyB, the BBC, ITV and Channel 5. It delivers programming to almost 13 million satellite homes and over three million cable homes, as well as 700,000 IPTV homes in the UK and Ireland. In addition, 28.2 degrees East is used to broadcast numerous channels of growing DTH-platforms in sub-Saharan Africa.

UK and Ireland Footprint


Launch coverage:
http://www.arianespace.tv/
http://www.arianespace.com/news/mission-status.asp

Apogee

Launch delayed for now:

India Times wrote:

GSAT-10/Astra 2F satellite launch put off after rocket snag

BANGALORE: The launch of Indian communication satellite GSAT-10 has been put off after the European space consortium Arianespace which was to orbit it, found a snag in the Ariane V rocket in the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said today.

Arianespace was scheduled to launch GSAT-10 along with ASTRA 2F spacecraft, built by the Astrium division of EADS for Luxembourg-based SES, in the early hours of September 22.


But on September 15, Arianespace found a "small snag" ("small damage") (leakage) on the upper side of the Ariane rocket and the commercial launch services provider is now checking if one gram of dust particles that was not accounted for, has stuck to critical moving parts.

"One gram of dust particles could have probably gone inside (the rocket). So, the idea is to find out whether it's sticking to a critical moving part", Radhakrishnan told reporters here.

[...]

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-09-17/news/33902632_1_kourou-arianespace-rocket

Youtube vid - The making of an SES satellite -- ASTRA 2F

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKE_iKWhiTw

dxhound2005

There is a big thread on the Satellites.co.uk forum. I copied this information. Both channels carrying SES logos presently. 11023 is very strong for anyone able to get 19 East.

Watch 2F launch live here :-

Astra 19.2 east
11023 H 22000sr Fec 5/6 - DVB S - SES Launches SD
and
11626 V 22000sr FEC 2/3 - DVB S2 8PSK - SES Launches HD

The satellite will be launched into space from the European Space Centre in French Guiana on board an Ariane 5 ECA rocket between 23:28pm and 00:05am (September 28-29, 2012 Central European Summer Time; 17.28 – 18.05 EDT on 28.9.12).

pa990

I wonder will tests etc be completed in time for some new channels to launch in time for Xmas?

Apogee

http://www.arianespace.com/images/launch-kits/launch-kit-pdf-eng/VA209-ASTRA-2F-GSAT-10-EN.pdf

excollier

Will the cabin crew be serving refreshments?

byte

excollier wrote: »

Will the cabin crew be serving refreshments?

No, vending machine only!

12 element

45cm dishes the standard in Ireland sometime in the future?

excollier

Already possible with Astra 1N tps.

watty

More reliable offset Freesat on a dish pointed for Saorsat The Satellite must have much bigger dish to limit the beam as much as that.

So how many UK channels still on Eurobird? It's the worst in Donegal and West generally.

excollier

watty wrote: »

More reliable offset Freesat on a dish pointed for Saorsat The Satellite must have much bigger dish to limit the beam as much as that.

So how many UK channels still on Eurobird? It's the worst in Donegal and West generally.

Nothing much worth watching. Anything of any quality is mostly on Astra1N soon to be relieved by 2F

byte

A bump reminder, as this launches tonight...

byte

There is a new testcard on the channel now.

Apogee

Due to start just after 10pm local time. You can watch on web using links in first port.

byte

Must get my beers ready.

Can't bate a bit o' satellite launching on a Friday evening!

"Are ye watching Late Late, byte?"
"God no, Astra 2F is launching tonight"
"Uhh..."
:pac:

Apogee

Pretty uneventful. It's a pity they don't make more use of the onboard cameras - very neat to see the high altitude shot of the fairing being jettisoned though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIEHLN_SEEU