| Mission type | Communications |
|---|---|
| Operator | SES S.A. |
| COSPAR ID | 2010-021A |
| SATCATno. | 36581 |
| Website | https://www.ses.com/ |
| Mission duration | 15 years (planned) 14 years, 10 months, 24 days (elapsed) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Eurostar |
| Bus | Eurostar-3000 |
| Manufacturer | Astrium (nowAirbus Defence and Space) |
| Launch mass | 5,472 kg (12,064 lb) |
| Power | 10kW |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 21 May 2010, 22:01UTC |
| Rocket | Ariane 5ECA (V194) |
| Launch site | Centre Spatial Guyanais,ELA-3 |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| Entered service | June 2010 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit[1] |
| Regime | Geostationary orbit |
| Longitude | 23.5° East |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 64transponders: 60Ku-band 4Ka-band[2] |
| Bandwidth | 33 and 36MHz |
| Coverage area | Europe,Middle East |
Astra 3B is one of theAstracommunications satellites owned and operated bySES, launched in 2010 to theAstra 23.5°E orbital position providing digital television and radio fordirect-to-home (DTH), and theAstraConnect two-waysatellite broadband services across Europe and theMiddle East.
The satellite is also used to provide the one-wayOthernet internet access service to Europe that, using small lightweight receiver stations, is designed to eventually provide news, weather, educational and other media to communities with no other access to the internet.[3]
Astra 3B was used by SES to broadcast its first demonstrationUltra-high-definition television (UHDTV) (8K) television signal in May 2018.[4]
In the summer of 2023,Astra 5B was moved from31.5° East to co-locate with Astra 3B at 23.5°E.[5][6] Subsequently, Astra 5B was renamed Astra 3C and broadcast channels on Astra 3B began to be transferred, prompting speculation that Astra 3B was reaching the end of its commercial life some two years short of the planned mission duration.[7][8]
The satellite provides three broadcast beams, of horizontal and verticalpolarisation that cover three areas of theEarth's surface. The Pan-European Wide beam provides DTH reception on 60 cm dishes across Europe from Spain to theBlack Sea and fromGreece toScandinavia. The European spot beam (for central and eastern Europe) and the Middle East spot beam (theArabian Peninsula,Iran andIraq) provide for contribution and distribution services, and data andInternet Protocol (IP) trunking services between the two regions withKa-band uplink and downlink used in Europe andKu-band in the Middle East.[2]
Astra 3B was finally launched on 21 May 2010, at 22:01UTC,[9] after nearly two months delay caused by technical problems to the main stage pressurization system of theAriane 5 launch vehicle, including two on-the-launch-pad postponements on 24 March 2010 and 9 April 2010.[10]
Astra 3B became commercially operational in June 2010 to initially provide DTH broadcast services mainly to theBenelux region andEastern Europe as well as the two-way broadband service,ASTRA2Connect across Europe and the Middle East. In January 2011, Astra announced thatBulgarian DTH operator Satellite BG would launch a package of more than 60 standard definition channels and 12 high definition channels, including sports, film, factual and children's television, and all major Bulgarian public and commercial services on 1 February 2011, using three transponders on Astra 3B to reach television homes across Bulgaria.[11]
The deployment of Astra 3B helped to optimize the spectrum use at 23.5° East and enabled SES to release theAstra 1E andAstra 1G satellites previously at 23.5° East for use at other orbital positions.[12]
