[Satellite TODAY Insider 08-09-11] Arianespace has successfully launched two direct-to-home (DTH) television satellites for SES Astra and Sky Perfect JSat on an Ariane 5 rocket from the European spaceport in French Guiana, Arianespace announced Aug. 7.

   SES’ Astra 1N satellite will be temporarily positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 28.2 degrees East longitude to serve the United Kingdom and Ireland. The satellite will then be moved to a permanent location at 19.2 degrees East, where it will remain for the bulk of its service life to provide direct-to-home digital and high-definition television broadcasting to Germany, France and Spain.

   Astrium built Astra 1N based on its Eurostar E3000 payload bus. The satellite’s design features 52 active Ku-band transponders, along with solar panels that stretch more than 130 feet across when fully extended. Astra 1N initially will replace the Astra 1G spacecraft, which will become available for use at other orbital positions within the fleet.

   “With Astra 1N, we will have completed our comprehensive replacement program at our prime orbital position of 19.2 degrees East and fully renewed our fleet at that position, thereby maintaining during the next decade the very high-quality customer service. This will also enable us to continue to respond to the strong demand for digital and high-definition,” SES said in a statement to Satellite TODAY Insider.

   The BSAT 3c/JCSAT 110R satellite is a Japanese satellite jointly owned by B-SAT and Sky Perfect JSat. The spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin based on the A2011A platform and designed for a 15-year tandem mission.

   The satellite’s co-owners will use BSAT 3b/JCSAT for separate missions from a geosynchronous orbit along the equator at 110 degrees. B-SAT will use the spacecraft for a television broadcasting mission. Sky Perfect JSat will manage the rest of the satellite’s capacity for telecommunications services and direct digital television programming.

   The launch represents Arianespace’s fourth launch of 2011, its 59th overall Ariane 5 launch and its 45th successful Ariane 5 mission in a row. Arianespace’s next mission is scheduled for early next month and will see the company launch the Arabsat 5C and SES 2 commercial communications satellites.