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Message: <blockquote data-quote="chris" data-source="post: 10099" data-attributes="member: 1">The ASTRA 2B satellite of Luxembourg-based Société Européenne des Satellites (SES) roared into space onboard a European Ariane 5 booster from the European Space Port in Kourou (French Guyana) in the evening hours of September 14th, 2000 (7.54 pm Kourou time, i.e. 10.54 pm GMT or 00.54 am Paris time on September 15th). ASTRA 2B is the tenth satellite in the ASTRA fleet and will be the second SES spacecraft to be permanently co-positioned at the Company's second orbital position of 28.2° East. The satellite features up to 30 Ku-band transponders (11.70 - 12.75 GHz), powered by 109 Watt Travelling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTA's). ASTRA 2B, a Eurostar type satellite, was built by Astrium (formerly Matra Marconi Space) and has a design life of 15 years. Once co-positioned with ASTRA 2A at 28.2° East, ASTRA 2B will enable SES to activate 40 transponders in the BSS frequency range between 11.70 and 12.50 GHz, all fully protected by SES' unique inter-satellite back-up scheme. ASTRA 2B also features a steerable antenna with the facility to activate up to 16 transponders in the 12.50 - 12.75 GHz frequency range outside of Europe, across any area of the earth visible from 28.2° East. States Romain Bausch, Director General and Chairman of the Management Committee of SES: "SES congratulates the technical teams of Arianespace and Astrium for the successful launch of the ASTRA 2B spacecraft. This achievement is the result of excellent co-operation not only between Arianespace and Astrium, but also with SES' own dedicated technical team, which, with this launch, establishes an outstanding record of ten consecutive successful ASTRA launches." This sixth successful ASTRA launch onboard an Ariane booster marks a truly European event: ASTRA 2B is the first European manufactured commercial spacecraft lofted by the new European Ariane 5 heavy-lift booster on behalf of a European satellite operator. SES has two further Ariane launches firmed up: ASTRA 2D is scheduled to be launched into 28.2° East in December 2000, and ASTRA 2C is expected to follow suit in the first quarter of 2001.</blockquote>

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