Introduction

SES-Astra (Société Européenne des Satellites-Astra) is a Luxembourg-based corporation which owns and operates the Astra series of geostationary satellites, which transmit some 1100 analogue and digital television and radio channels via 176 transponders to 91 million households across Europe. Formed in 1985 as SES, it was Europe's first private satellite operator.

Its slogan in 1997 was "Astra: The Satellite System". Nowadays it is "Your Satellite Connection to the World".

Orbital Positions

There are currently 13 Astra satellites in orbit, not all currently in service, located at the following positions in geosynchronous orbit:

5.2°E: Astra 1A. Originally sited at 19.2°E and used to broadcast the first European analogue direct-to-home TV services, this satellite is well past its expected lifetime and now in inclined orbit. It will probably be junked soon.
19.2°E degrees east: Astra 1B, 1C, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 2C. This is the most common orbital position for direct-to-home satellite transmission in Germany and Central Europe. It's used for home satellite internet (with DVB modems).
23.5°E and 24.2 degrees east: Astra 1D, 3A.
28.2°E degrees east: Astra 2A, 2B, 2D. BSkyB broadcast their Sky Digital direct-to-home television service to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland from this satellite constellation. Eutelsat's Eurobird satellite also operates close to this position.