Astra 2G satellite passes first test phase

The builder of the Astra-2G UK TV satellite, Airbus Defence & Space, has said that the Astra 2G satellite has successfully completed its first test phase.

Astra 2G has now been officially handed over to SES.

Astra 2G satellite was launched on 27 December 2014 using an International Launch Services rocket from the Baikonur launch complex in Kazakhstan.

Launch and Early Orbit Phase operations have been conducted from the Airbus Defence and Space spacecraft control centre in Toulouse. A series of manoeuvres enabled the satellite to reach geostationary orbit on 2 January, the solar arrays and antenna reflectors have been successfully deployed and the satellite has acquired final Earth pointing. All spacecraft functions are performing as expected.

Astra 2G is based on the highly reliable Eurostar E3000 platform. It carries 62 Ku-band transponders as well as 4 Ka-band transponders. It will provide next generation broadcast and broadband services to the UK and Ireland, Europe and West Africa. It had a launch mass of 6 tonnes, has a wingspan of 40m in orbit, and a spacecraft power of 13kW until the end of its 15-year design lifetime.

The Astra 2G satellite will eventually be placed in the 28.2/28.5 degrees East orbital slot, joining the Astra 2E and Astra 2F satellites for UK satellite TV, for provision of Freesat and Sky satellite TV services to the UK and Europe.

Astra 2G Satellite Information – Reception in Costa Blanca and Spain
Astra 2G Satellite Information – Signal Footprint Reception Maps
Astra 2G Satellite Information – Transponders, Frequencies and Channels
Astra 2G Satellite Information – Images and Pictures
Astra 2G Satellite Specifications and Launch Details
Astra 2G News Updates and Testing Information

Comments

Astra 2G satellite passes first test phase — 21 Comments

Richard Daniels on January 27, 2015 at 4:15 pm said:

Do you know when the production switch over to Astra 2G will be ? Is there any idea of the likely timeline ?

Reply ↓
- satandpcguy on January 27, 2015 at 5:25 pm said:
  
  No timeline for testing or moving or activation at 28 east has been given by SES….
  
  Reply ↓
Jeff on February 5, 2015 at 3:19 am said:

Astra 2G Testing ?

28.2°E
Astra 2G
11259.67
V
–
Europe
DVB-S
QPSK
27500 2/3

2015-02-01
28.2°E
Astra 2G
11261.17
H
–
Europe
DVB-S
QPSK
27500 2/3

2015-02-01
28.2°E
Astra 2G
11343.00
V
–
Europe
DVB-S
QPSK
27500 2/3

2015-02-01
28.2°E
Astra 2G
11344.50
H
–
Europe
DVB-S
QPSK
27500 2/3

Reply ↓
- satandpcguy on February 5, 2015 at 7:56 am said:
  
  Yes, they may be testing the frequencies covered by Eutelsat 28a, since it is expected to take over those frequencies…
  But it it would be a first if they are using that amount of live channels for their tests…
  
  Reply ↓
  - Jeff on February 7, 2015 at 8:33 am said:
    
    just scann the frequency see what you get
    
    Reply ↓
    - satandpcguy on February 7, 2015 at 8:54 am said:
      
      Have done, but those channels and frequencies you list are on 28 east, on Eutelsat 28A. Same signal strength as last week.
      
      But 2G is not at 28 east, so and is not carrying those channels.
      
      Reply ↓
      - Jeff on February 8, 2015 at 2:38 am said:
        
        Astra 2G position below
Jeff on February 5, 2015 at 3:30 am said:

ASTRA 2G Current position
LOCAL TIME:
02:24:07
UTC:
02:24:07
LATITUDE:
-0.03
LONGITUDE:
21.19
ALTITUDE [km]:
35786.85
ALTITUDE [mi]:
22236.92
SPEED [km/s]:
0
SPEED [mi/s]:
0
AZIMUTH:
136.9
SE
ELEVATION:
+35.2
RIGHT ASCENSION:
13h 3m 0s
DECLINATION:
-6° 55′ 12”
Local Sidereal Time:
10h 47m 19s

Reply ↓
Jeff on February 5, 2015 at 3:35 am said:

Question will Uk Channels BBC/ITV/Ch4 and Ch5 Return

I would find it unlikely that the BBC/ITV/Ch4 and Ch5 services would ever return to the European footprint, as the transponders on the relatively new Astra-2E platform would have been leased by the National Network providers for at least 5 years.

But you never know ?

Reply ↓
Jeff on February 8, 2015 at 2:47 am said:

Orbital position
28.2°E 964 0 517 828 97 39 Eutelsat 28A 28.45°E 0.00° 0.07° 242 180 2015-02-06 09:11
Astra 2E 28.36°E -0.04° 0.05° 338 153 2015-02-04 19:01
Astra 2A 28.2°E 0.05° 0.05° 184 46 2015-02-06 09:11
Astra 2F 28.2°E -0.02° 0.03° 200 138 2015-02-04 20:51
Astra 2C 28.18°E -0.02° 0.06° – – 2015-02-04 19:00
Astra 2D 28.08°E 1.74° 1.98° – – 2012-02-14 16:30
Astra 2G 21.2°E -0.06° 0.06° – – 2015-02-04 18:59

Reply ↓
- satandpcguy on February 8, 2015 at 9:42 am said:
  
  Yes, 2G is at 21 east, no disputing that.
  but I can see no uk tv channels currently on those frequencies you mention at that location.
  and no other satellite website has mentioned that there are those uk tv channels that you mention on 2g either.
  I only see those channels on eutelsat 28 a.
  
  And in your post on the 5th February you said 2G was testing at 28 east- but we know it is at 21 east – so wherever you are getting your information from is confusing you…
  
  Like I said before, in the past they have not used that many live uk tv channels for their tests, especially when it is not in the correct location. In fact 2G is only there as a place holder, to reserve that slot for a furture Luxemburg satellite operation.
  
  Reply ↓
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Jeff on February 9, 2015 at 6:41 am said:

Orbital position Some info from
http://en.kingofsat.net/sat-astra2g.php

28.2°E Astra 2G 12226.50 H – U.K. DVB-S2 QPSK 29500 3/4 ASTRA, 43.9 Mbps NID:2 TID:2027 KingOfSat charts update form 2015-02-01

Reply ↓
- satandpcguy on February 9, 2015 at 8:08 am said:
  
  KOS is wrong.
  It is notorious for incorrect information, (they have channels listed on the UK beam that are not on the UK beam!)
  2G is NOT at 28 east, but 21, like you previously said.
  And this is what KoS says at the moment – 2G at 22.21e with no channels.
  
  And there are no live channels on 2G at the moment.
  In fact there appears to be currently no testing at all on 2G.
  
  Perhaps it was KoS just preparing things.
  
  Reply ↓
Jeff on February 10, 2015 at 6:43 am said:

Sounds like the NIT has been incorrectly configured at the uplink site on the encoder for this service. They should resolve this as an when the services become full live

Reply ↓
- satandpcguy on February 10, 2015 at 8:05 am said:
  
  No, it is king of sat playing around and incorrectly updating their site!
  
  Reply ↓
Jeff on February 16, 2015 at 8:19 pm said:

Hi Question
Channel 5 Is on 12522 V 27000 Astra 2F covering west Africa
I cannot get signal
So will the New Astra 2G that covers west Africa bring back PBS Channels ?

Expected orbital location 28.2°E / 28.5°E
Coverage West Africa, Europe
Launch date 27 December 2014
Launch Vehicle Proton
Design Life 15 years
Satellite Manufacturer Airbus Defence and Space
Polarisation Ku-band: Linear
Ka-band: Circular
Total Transponders Ku-band: 62
Ka-band: Europe:4
(250 & 500 & 600 MHz)

Reply ↓
- satandpcguy on February 16, 2015 at 8:31 pm said:
  
  That is Channel 5 (Ghana).
  Hence why it is on the African beam.
  
  Not Channel 5 UK.
  Which is on the UK beam.
  
  So no, the UK PBS channels will not move tot he African beam…
  
  Reply ↓
Jeff on February 16, 2015 at 8:21 pm said:

They say Asta 2E Astra 2F Astra 2G are identical

Reply ↓
- satandpcguy on February 16, 2015 at 8:26 pm said:
  
  They may say that, but there are differences in their reception…
  Where I am 2F’s uk beam is easier to receive than 2E’s uk beam…
  
  Reply ↓
henry hindle on March 4, 2015 at 4:49 pm said:

hi when an we expect 2g to start broadcasting
thanks henry

Reply ↓
- satandpcguy on March 4, 2015 at 5:35 pm said:
  
  Have a look here:
  https://www.satandpcguy.com/blog/2014/08/astra-2g-final-new-uk-tv-satellite-launch-information-update/
  
  Reply ↓