Astra 3A

Astra 3A
Mission typeCommunications
OperatorSES
COSPAR ID2002-015B Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.27400
Websitehttps://www.ses.com/
Mission duration12 years (planned)
20 years, 10 months (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
BusHS-376HP
ManufacturerBoeing Satellite Systems
Launch mass1,514 kg (3,338 lb)
Power1.6 kW
Start of mission
Launch date29 March 2002, 01:29 UTC
RocketAriane 44L H10-3 (V139)
Launch siteCentre Spatial Guyanais, ELA-2
ContractorArianespace
Entered serviceMay 2002
End of mission
DisposalGraveyard orbit
DeactivatedJanuary 2023
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit[1]
RegimeGeostationary orbit
Longitude23.5° East (2002-2013)
177° West (2013-2016)
86.5° East (2016)
47° West (2017-2019)
86.5° West (2019-2020)
Transponders
Band20 Ku-band
Bandwidth36 MHz
Coverage areaEurope

Astra 3A is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by SES, launched in March 2002 to the Astra 23.5°E orbital position to provide digital television and radio for direct to home (DTH) and cable, multimedia and interactive services, corporate networks, and occasional and other business services to Europe.

The satellite provides two broadcast beams, of horizontal and vertical polarisation, across two footprints that covered essentially the same areas of Europe – principally the countries of central Europe.[2]

  1. ^ "ASTRA 3A". N2YO.com. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Astra 3A". SES. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.