Astra 2E coupling at Astrium Toulouse
Photo: Astrium

[Via Satellite 09-27-13] SES’ Astra 2E satellite is scheduled for launch on board an ILS Proton launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Sept. 30, 2013.

Astra 2E was built for SES by Astrium of France. Based on the Eurostar E3000 platform, the spacecraft carries 60 Ku-band transponders, as well as four Ka-band transponders. It will enable the delivery of next-generation broadcast and broadband services in Europe, the Middle East and Africa from the orbital arc of 28.2/28.5 degrees east. Astra 2E will have a launch mass of 6 tons, a wingspan of 40m once its solar arrays are deployed in orbit, and a spacecraft power of 13kW at the end of its 15-year design lifetime.

Astra 2E will be the seventh Eurostar satellite in the SES fleet, following the successful launch of SES 6 in June 2013 and Astra 2F in September 2012.