Astra 5B satellite launch on Ariane 5. Photo: SES

[Via Satellite 06-03-2014] SES’ Astra 5B satellite went live on Monday, June 2 from its orbital position over Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), as well as Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The satellite provides Direct-to-Home (DTH) and direct-to-cable services, and contribution feeds to digital terrestrial TV networks.

Astra 5B, built by Airbus Defence and Space, was launched from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guyana by Arianespace’s Ariane 5 rocket on March 22, 2014. The satellite is based on Airbus’ Eurostar E3000 platform and is equipped with 40 Ku-band transponders and 6 Ka-band transponders. The Astra 5B also carries an SES hosted L-band payload for the European Commission’s European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Services (EGNOS), the first pan-European satellite navigation system.

The satellite replaces the Astra 1G at 31.5 degrees east, increasing the orbital slot’s number of active transponders from 19 to 40.