Astra 2F

Astra 2F
Names	Eutelsat 28F
Mission type	Communications
Operator	SES S.A.
COSPAR ID	2012-051A
SATCATno.	38778
Website	https:// ses /
Mission duration	15 years (planned); 12 years, 4 days (elapsed)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Eurostar
Bus	Eurostar-3000
Manufacturer	Astrium; (nowAirbus Defence and Space)
Launch mass	5,968 kg (13,157 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	28 September 2012,; 21:18:07UTC
Rocket	Ariane 5ECA(VA209)
Launch site	Centre Spatial Guyanais,ELA-3
Contractor	Arianespace
Entered service	21 November 2012
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Geostationary orbit
Longitude	28.2° East
Transponders
Band	63transponders:; 60Ku-band; 3Ka-band
Coverage area	Europe
	Astra constellation ←Astra 4B Astra 2E→

Astra 2Fis one of theAstra communications satellitesowned and operated bySES S.A.,launched in September 2012 to theAstra 28.2°Eorbital position.^[2]The satellite providesfree-to-airandencrypted direct-to-home(DTH)digital televisionandsatellite broadband servicesfor Europe andAfrica.

Astra 2F is the first of three "second generation" satellites for the 28.2° East position which replace the first generationAstra 2A,Astra 2BandAstra 2Dsatellite previously there.^[3]The second,Astra 2E,was launched in 2013,^[4]and the third,Astra 2G,was launched in 2014,^[5](launched on 27 December 2014,^[6]). Some parts of the construction of Astra 2F byAstrium(nowAirbus Defence and Space) inStevenage,United Kingdom could be seen in theBBC2documentary programme,How To Build... A Satellitebroadcast on 27 November 2011.

Astra 2F was successfully launched fromKourouinFrench Guianaon 28 September 2012, at 21:18:07UTCby anAriane 5ECA launch vehiclefromCentre Spatial Guyanais.^[7]and underwent in-orbit testing at 43.5° East.^[8]Commercial operations at 28.2° East began on 21 November 2012.^[9]

Market

The Astra 28.2° East orbital position was established in 1998 to provide digital television, digital radio and multimedia services to the United Kingdom and Ireland, and Astra 2F's primary mission is to continue this provision as replacement and follow-on capacity to theAstra 2A,Astra 2B,Astra 2DandAstra 1Nsatellites, delivering programming to almost 13 million satellite homes, over 3 million cable homes, and 700,000Internet Protocol television(IPTV) homes in the United Kingdom and Ireland, in particular for channels from the major UK digitalsatellite television satellite bus,BSkyBandFreesat.^[10]

In addition, Astra 2F serves the growing direct-to-home (DTH) platforms inWest Africasuch asMulti TVofGhana.

Astra 2F is also designed to provideSES Broadband’s first commercialKa-bandsatellite broadband service in Europe, with a Ka-band payload delivering high-speed Internet access (at download speeds up to 20Mbit/s) along withVoice over Internet Protocol(VoIP), and Internet Protocol television (IPTV) from November 2012.

Broadcasting footprint

Astra 2F has threeKu-band downlinkbeams covering Europe andAfrica.The Europe Beam is centred on the English Channel with maximum signal (for reception on a 40 cm dish) over the United Kingdom, Ireland, France,Benelux,and parts of Germany,Austria,and Spain (including a "lobe" specifically designed to serve theCanary Islandswhich officially requires a 120 cm dish but in practise is easily receivable using a 90 cm dish as with Astra 2E), and reception on a 1 m dish extending toNorth Africa,Poland and theBalkans.

The UK Beam provides maximum signal (40 cm dishes) over the United Kingdom, Ireland, Benelux and Northern France in close approximation of the UK Beam ofAstra 2D,which it replaces.^[11]Due to the tight footprint, some reception issues for UK channels are being reported in Spain as of December 2012. Early reports of test transmissions on 11.023GHzH 23000 DVB-S2 suggest the beam is very tight with a very sharp fall off to the west and east of the footprint, but eastern Spain seems to be getting a higher signal strength possibly due to the off-axis beam as 28.2° East on the geostationary arc is not directly in line with the United Kingdom but offset to the east.^[12]

The West Africa beam provides for reception with 60 cm dishes across southern West Africa fromSenegaltoNigeria,with a lower signal level (80 cm dishes) extending across theDemocratic Republic of the Congo.^[13]

The Ka-band footprint for satellite broadband provides full service coverage across western Europe from the United Kingdom and France in the west to theCzech Republic,Austria,CroatiaandBosnia and Herzegovinain the east.^[14]

Active transponders

Below is a list of the TV channels broadcast to Europe from activetransponderson Astra 2F as of February 2024^[update]:^[15]

In the list, channels broadcast with a one-hour delay are shownChannel +1hr.Where both the original and the delayed channel are broadcast from the same transponder, this is shown in one entry asChannel [also +1hr].

UK Beam

Tp109 11.306 GHz H 27500 2/3:

5 Action
5 Select
5 Star [also +1hr]
5 USA [also +1hr]
Channel 5 [also +1hr]
Channel 5 HD
Nick Jr Too UK (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Nickelodeon UK (encrypted inVideoGuard)

Tp110 11.306 GHz V 27500 5/6:

Great! Movies Action [also +1hr]
Great! Movies Ireland
Great! Movies Romance [also +1hr]
Great! Movies UK [also +1hr]
Great! TV Ireland
Great! TV UK [also +1hr]
Pop [also +1hr]
Pop Max [also +1hr]
Tiny Pop [also +1hr]

Tp111 11.344 GHz H 27500 5/6:

Chart Show Retro
HGTV UK [also +1hr]
Really UK
Really Ireland
TNT Sport 2 (encrypted inVideoGuard)
TNT Sport 4-10 (encrypted inVideoGuard)
TNT Sport Mosaic (encrypted inVideoGuard)

Tp112 11.344 GHz V 27500 5/6:

Legend
Legend Xtra [also +1hr]
PBS America
S4C
Talking Pictures TV
That's 60s
That's 80s
That's 90s
That's TV UK
That's TV 2
TNT Sport 1 (encrypted inVideoGuard)
TNT Sport 3 (encrypted inVideoGuard)
TNT Sport Mosaic (encrypted inVideoGuard)
True Crime Ireland
True Crime UK [also +1hr]
True Crime Xtra Ireland
True Crime Xtra UK

European Beam

Tp21 12.110 GHz H 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted inVideoGuard):

Sky Showcase Ireland HD
Sky History 2 HD

Tp22 12.129 GHz V 27500 5/6:

Alibi Ireland (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Alibi UK [also +1hr] (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Dave Ireland
Dave UK
Dave ja vu
Drama Ireland
Drama UK [also +1hr]
Eden [also +1hr] (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Gold Ireland (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Gold UK [also +1hr] (encrypted inVideoGuard)
W Ireland
W UK [also +1hr]
Yesterday [also +1hr]

Tp23 12.148 GHz H 27500 5/6 (encrypted inVideoGuard):

Eurosport 1 UK
Eurosport 2 UK
Sky Atlantic Ireland
Sky Atlantic UK [also +1hr]
Sky Comedy Ireland
Sky News Arabia (unencrypted)
Sky Sports Box Office
Sky Sports Cricket
Sky Sports Football UK
Sky Sports Golf Ireland
Sky Sports Golf UK
Sky Sports Main Event Ireland
Sky Sports News Ireland
Sky Sports News UK
Sky Sports Premier League UK
Sky Sports Tennis Ireland
Sky Witness UK +1hr

Tp24 12.168 GHz V 27500 2/3 DVB-S2:

BBC One South HD
Boomerang UK HD (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Cartoon Network UK HD (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Channel 4 Midlands HD
Channel 4 North HD
CNBC UK HD
ITV Central West HD
Sky Mix Ireland HD
Sky Witness Ireland HD (encrypted inVideoGuard)
STV East HD (encrypted inVideoGuard)

Tp25 12.188 GHz H 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted inVideoGuard):

LFC TV HD
Premier Sports 1 HD
Premier Sports 2 HD
Sky Arts HD
Sky Atlantic UK HD
Sky Max UK HD
Sky Sports Racing HD
Sky Sports Tennis UK HD
Sky Witness UK HD

Tp26 12.207 GHz V 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted inVideoGuard):

Sky Sports Main Event UK 4K
TNT Sport Ultimate 4K

Tp27 12.226 GHz H 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted inVideoGuard):

Channel 4 Northern Ireland HD (unencrypted)
Crime + Investigation UK HD
ITV1 Meridian East HD (unencrypted)
National Geographic UK HD
National Geographic Wild UK HD
RTÉ One HD
SET Asia HD
Sky History HD
Sky Mix UK HD (unencrypted)
Utsav Plus HD
Yesterday HD

Tp28 12.246 GHz V 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted inVideoGuard):

Sky UHD 1 4K
Sky UHD 2 4K

Tp29 12.266 GHz H 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted inVideoGuard):

Dave UK HD
Discovery Channel UK HD
Film 4 UK HD
More 4 UK HD
MUTV HD
Sky Sports Main Event in Pubs HD
Sky Sports News in Pubs HD
Sky Sports Premier League UK HD
STV North HD

Tp30 12.285 GHz V 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted inVideoGuard):

Sky Cinema Action HD
Sky Cinema Animation HD
Sky Cinema Comedy HD
Sky Cinema Drama HD
Sky Cinema Family HD
Sky Cinema Greats HD
Sky Cinema Hits HD
Sky Cinema Premiere HD
Sky Cinema Sci-fi Horror HD
Sky Cinema Select HD
Sky Cinema Thriller HD

Tp32 12.324 GHz V 27500 2/3 DVB-S2 (encrypted inVideoGuard):

Sky Intro HD (unencrypted)
Sky Sports F1
Sony Max UK HD

Tp35 12.382 GHz H 27500 5/6:

Animal Planet UK (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Discovery Channel UK (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Discovery History (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Discovery Science UK (encrypted inVideoGuard)
Discovery Turbo UK (encrypted inVideoGuard)
DMAX UK [also +1hr]
Food Network Ireland
Food Network UK [also +1hr]
Quest UK [also +1hr]
Quest Red [also +1hr]
TLC UK (encrypted inVideoGuard)

References

^"ASTRA 2F".N2YO.Retrieved10 April2021.
^"SES SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES ASTRA 2F SATELLITE"(Press release). SES. 1 October 2012.Retrieved1 October2012.
^Bains, Geoff "The Good Die Young"What Satellite & Digital TVSummer 2012 pp.29
^"ASTRA 2E successfully launched"(Press release). SES. 30 September 2013.Retrieved31 December2013.
^"SES Orders Four New Satellites From ASTRIUM"(Press release). SES. 30 November 2009.Retrieved28 August2012.
^"Astra 2G Satellite Roars Into Orbit"(Press release). SES. 28 November 2014.Retrieved1 January2015.
^"SES SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES ASTRA 2F SATELLITE"(Press release). SES. 1 October 2012.Retrieved27 December2012.
^"Astra 2F Testing Reception Reports".Satellites.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 22 November 2012.Retrieved27 December2012.
^"SES' ASTRA 2F SATELLITE STARTS OPERATIONS"(Press release). SES. 21 November 2012.Retrieved27 December2012.
^ASTRA 2F arrives at the Guiana Space Centre, Kourou23 August 2012 SES blog Accessed 26 August 2012
^Bains, Geoff. "Flight of the Big Birds"What Satellite & Digital TVFebruary 2012 pp.29
^"Astra 2 at 28° East, Satellite changes at 28.2° East".astra2sat.10 January 2014.Retrieved29 March2023.
^Astra 2F footprints & coverageson satelaunch.netAccessed 29 August 2012
^Bains, Geoff "The Astra 2F Bonus"What Satellite & Digital TVJune 2012 pp.29
^"Astra 2F at 28.2°E".LyngSat.Retrieved28 February2024.

External links

[N2YO-1] "ASTRA 2F".N2YO.Retrieved10 April2021.

[2] "SES SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES ASTRA 2F SATELLITE"(Press release). SES. 1 October 2012.Retrieved1 October2012.

[3] Bains, Geoff "The Good Die Young"What Satellite & Digital TVSummer 2012 pp.29

[4] "ASTRA 2E successfully launched"(Press release). SES. 30 September 2013.Retrieved31 December2013.

[5] "SES Orders Four New Satellites From ASTRIUM"(Press release). SES. 30 November 2009.Retrieved28 August2012.

[6] "Astra 2G Satellite Roars Into Orbit"(Press release). SES. 28 November 2014.Retrieved1 January2015.

[7] "SES SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES ASTRA 2F SATELLITE"(Press release). SES. 1 October 2012.Retrieved27 December2012.

[8] "Astra 2F Testing Reception Reports".Satellites.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 22 November 2012.Retrieved27 December2012.

[9] "SES' ASTRA 2F SATELLITE STARTS OPERATIONS"(Press release). SES. 21 November 2012.Retrieved27 December2012.

[10] ASTRA 2F arrives at the Guiana Space Centre, Kourou23 August 2012 SES blog Accessed 26 August 2012

[11] Bains, Geoff. "Flight of the Big Birds"What Satellite & Digital TVFebruary 2012 pp.29

[12] "Astra 2 at 28° East, Satellite changes at 28.2° East".astra2sat.10 January 2014.Retrieved29 March2023.

[13] Astra 2F footprints & coverageson satelaunch.netAccessed 29 August 2012

[14] Bains, Geoff "The Astra 2F Bonus"What Satellite & Digital TVJune 2012 pp.29

[15] "Astra 2F at 28.2°E".LyngSat.Retrieved28 February2024.

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v t e Satellites operated bySES
SESfleet	Active:SES-1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 (EchoStar 105) 12 14 15 16 (GovSat-1) 17
AMCfleet	Active:AMC-4 6 8 10 11 15 16 18 21 Backups:AMC-7 Retired:AMC-1 2 3 5 9 Failed launch:AMC-14
NSSfleet	Active:NSS-6 7 9 10 11 12 806 Retired:NSS-5 513 703 K Failed launch:NSS-8
Astrafleet	Active:Astra 1KR 1L 1M 1N 2E 2F 2G 3B 4A 5B Backups:Astra 1D 1F 1G 1H 2A 2B 2C 2D 3A To be activated:Astra 1P Retired:Astra 1A 1B 1C 1E 5A Sirius 3 Failed launch:Astra 1K Orbital positions:5.0°E 19.2°E 23.5°E 28.2°E 31.5°E Subsidiary:SES Astra
Third parties	Active:Ciel-2 MonacoSAT QuetzSat 1 Yahsat 1A

v t e ← 2011 Orbital launches in2012 2013 →
January	Ziyuan III-01,VesselSat-2 Fengyun 2-07 USA-233 Progress M-14M
February	Navid LARES,ALMASat-1,Xatcobeo,UniCubeSat-GG,ROBUSTA,e-st@r,Goliat,MaSat-1,PW-Sat SES-4 Compass-G5 MUOS-1
March	Edoardo AmaldiATV Intelsat 22 Kosmos 2479 Apstar 7
April	USA-234 Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Progress M-15M YahSat-1B RISAT-1 Compass-M3,Compass-M4
May	USA-235 Tianhui 1B Yaogan 14,Tiantuo 1 Soyuz TMA-04M JCSAT-13,Vinasat-2 Kosmos 2480 Shizuku,Kompsat 3,SDS-4,Horyu 2 Nimiq 6 SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2,New Frontier Fajr ChinaSat 2A Yaogan 15
June	Intelsat 19 NuSTAR Shenzhou 9 USA-236/Quasar 18 USA-237/Orion 8
July	EchoStar XVII,MSG-3 SES-5 Soyuz TMA-05M Kounotori 3(Raiko,We-Wish,Niwaka,TechEdSat,F-1) Kanopus-V1,BelKA-2,Zond-PP,TET-1,exactView-1 Tianlian I-03 Gonets-MNo.3,Gonets-MNo.4,Kosmos 2481,MiR
August	Progress M-16M(Sfera-53) Intelsat 20,HYLAS 2 Telkom-3,Ekspress-MD2 Intelsat 21 RBSP-A,RBSP-B
September	SPOT 6,PROITERES,mRESINS USA-238,SMDC-ONE 1.1,SMDC-ONE 1.2,AeroCube 4,AeroCube 4A,AeroCube 4B,Aeneas,Re,CSSWE,CP5,CXBN,CINEMA 1 MetOp-B Compass-M5,Compass-M6 Astra 2F,GSAT-10 VRSS-1
October	USA-239 SpaceX CRS-1,Orbcomm-2 David,Sif Shi gian 9-01,Shi gian 9-02 Intelsat 23 Soyuz TMA-06M Compass G6 Progress M-17M
November	Luch 5B,Yamal-300K Eutelsat 21B,Star One C3 Meridian 6 Huanjing 1C EchoStar XVI Yaogan 16A,Yaogan 16B,Yaogan 16C ChinaSat 12
December	Pléiades-HR 1B Eutelsat 70B Yamal-402 USA-240 Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2 Göktürk-2 Soyuz TMA-07M Skynet 5D,Mexsat Bicentenario
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas (, ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flightsare underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).

Market

Broadcasting footprint

Active transponders

See also

References

External links