Astra 1A

Broadcast satellite
Name = Astra 1A
Launch Date = December 11, 1988
Launch Mass = 1,780
Orbit Mass =
Manufacturer = GE Astro Electronics
Model = GE 4000
Launcher = Ariane 4
Flight Number = V27
Lifetime = 12
Transponder Capacity = 16 K_u band
Twta output power = 45
Bandwidth = 26
EIRP = 50
Expendable Energy = 1675
Former location = 19.2
Current location =

Astra 1A was the first satellite launched and operated by Société Européenne des Satellites (SES), now SES Astra. During its early days, it was often referred to as the Astra Satellite, as SES only operated one satellite originally.

The satellite provided television coverage to Western Europe and was revolutionary as one of the first medium-powered satellites, allowing reception with smaller dishes than before. Among the channels carried in the first years were the entire four channel Sky Television (later British Sky Broadcasting, after the merger with rival British Satellite Broadcasting on the Marcopolo satellite) service consisting of Sky One/Sky Channel, Sky News, Sky Movies and Eurosport, the Scandinavian TV3 and TV1000, the German Pro7, Sat.1, RTL plus, 3sat and Teleclub, the Dutch RTL4 as well as FilmNet, Screensport, MTV Europe, The Children's Channel and Lifestyle. [cite newsgroup|url=http://groups.google.com/group/eunet.followup/browse_thread/thread/744da2f168e2c99d/d6c1a3afb2226cd6|title=Astra satellite channels|date=1990-09-18]

Astra 1A began television broadcasts on February 5 1989. Until 1998 all of Astra's satellites were co-located with 1A at 19°.2 E, leading that position to be known mostly as Astra 1 - although Astra 2C also used to operate there, before it moved to 28°.2 E in autumn 2007. In December 2004 Astra 1A was moved into a "Graveyard orbit" after some time at 5.2°E providing data services.

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