| Astra 2C Satellite |
Astra 2C is positioned at 28.2 degrees East longitude and has a contractual service life of 15 years. The satellite will provide pan-European coverage and features 40 Ku-band transponders, 32 active at beginning of satellite life and 28 at end. The flexible ASTRA 2C payload design makes it possible to select 32 frequency channels out of a total possible of 56 at any time. In orbit, the 85-foot-long spacecraft will weigh approximately 5,500 pounds. With both single- and dual-junction gallium arsenide solar cells on the satellite, Astra 2C is an 8,500-kilowatt satellite.
Astra 2C was formely positioned at 19.2° East, where it has been relaced by Astra 1L. The move allows a realignment of transponders across the different satellites positioned at 28.2° East, permitting activation of another 8 transponders on the steerable beam on Astra 2B, which is currently positioned over West Africa, and bringing the total of transponders on that beam from 8 to 16. Furthermore, the inter-satellite backup system at 28.2° East is strengthened as Astra 2C carries backup capacity for Astra 2A, 2B and 2D.
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| Satellite Facts |
| Satellite launch information |
| Launch date: Launch date:16-JUN-2001 at 01:49:00 UTC |
| Launch site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
| Launch mass: 3643kg |
| Satellite orbital information |
| Satellite manufacturer: Boeing Satellite Systems |
| Orbital location: 28.2° east |
| Stabilization system: 3-axis type |
| Total power consumption: 7000W |
| Satellite transponder information |
| Transponder capacity: 32/28 |
| TWTA output power: 105W |
| EIRP: 51dBW |
| All transponders are eclipse protected |
| Transponder bandwidth: 26MHz in FSS, 33MHz in BSS |
| Channel capacity |
| Total: 56 |
| 10.70-11.20GHz: 32 channels band C / band D |
| 11.70-12.20GHz: 24 channels ( band E / band F) |
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Astra 2C Footprints |
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Astra 2C - North Beam |
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Astra 2C - South Beam |
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Frequency plan for Astra 2C |
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