Mar 19, 2014 ASDNews Source : Airbus Defence and Space
ASTRA 5B will be the first of six telecommunications satellites scheduled for launch in 2014
Airbus Defence and Space, number two worldwide in space technologies, is preparing the launch of ASTRA 5B, which is due to be put into geostationary orbit (36,000 kilometres) aboard an Ariane 5 launcher on 21 March. ASTRA 5B is the first of six telecommunications satellites that will be launched in 2014. Airbus Defence and Space is also the industrial prime contractor for Ariane 5.
Astra 5B will be deployed at the orbital location of 31.5° East. It will provide extended transponder capacity in Ku and Ka bands with geographical reach over Eastern European and neighbouring markets for DTH (Direct to Home) direct-to-cable and feeding to digital terrestrial television networks. It will also carry a hosted L-band payload for the European Commission’s European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS).
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