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Astra 19.2°E

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The Astra brand logo

Astra 19.2°E is the name for the group of Astra communications satellites co-located at the 19.2°East orbital position in the Clarke Belt that are owned and operated by SES based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg.

Astra 19.2°E used to be commonly known as Astra 1, as it was the first orbital position used by Astra and the craft positioned there all have the Astra 1x name, but this was changed by SES to Astra 19.2°E in 2008, to avoid confusion with other Astra orbital positions that now include Astra 1x craft originally positioned at 19.2°East.

The Astra satellites at 19.2°East provide for services downlinking in the 10.70 GHz-12.70 GHz range of the Ku band.

Astra 19.2°E is one of the major TV satellite positions serving Europe, transmitting over 1,150 TV, radio and interactive channels to more than 93 million direct-to-home (DTH) and cable homes in 35 countries[1] (the other major satellite positions being at 13° East, 28.2° East, 23.5° East, and 5° East).

There are more than 40 high definition television (HDTV) channels broadcast by the satellites at 19.2°E, using five HDTV platforms.[2] SES was instrumental in introducing satellite HDTV broadcasting in Europe, using the Astra 19.2°E satellites, and helped establish the HD ready specifications for TVs to view HDTV broadcasts. A subsidiary of SES, HD+ operates the HD+ free-to-view platform of German channels from Astra 19.2°E.

Astra 19.2°E was one of the last satellite positions to carry numerous analogue channels, until 30 April 2012 when the switch-off of German analogue broadcasts was completed.[3] It is also the only position to have carried radio stations in the proprietary Astra Digital Radio format, although that technology was superseded by DVB-S radio as the analogue transponders that carried the service switched to digital.[4]

Satellites in use

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Current

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Previous

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Upcoming

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  • Astra 1P (also known as SES-24. Launched in 2024, to be activated in early 2025)
  • Astra 1Q (to be launched in 2026,[6] also known as SES-25)

Market

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The satellites at the Astra 19.2°E position primarily provide digital TV, digital radio and multimedia services to Europe and North Africa, principally to Algeria, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and Tunisia.[2]

Astra 19.2°E provides both free-to-air and a number of pay-TV services in networks such as ARD Digital, ArenaSat, CanalDigitaal, CanalSat, ORF Digital, Sky Germany, ProSieben, Movistar+, Sat.1, UPC Direct, and ZDF,[7] and is the market leader for DTH and communal dish reception in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.[2]

The relatively close proximity of Astra 19.2°E to one of SES' other orbital positions, Astra 23.5°E, allows the use in target countries of a single small dish fitted with a monoblock Duo LNB to receive channels from both positions.

Capacity and reach

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As of December 2019 the Astra satellites at 19.2° east broadcast on 147 transponders (2 Ka-band and 145 Ku-band) to 118.4 million households (44.7 million via cable, 27.5 million via IPTV and 46.2 million direct to home satellite dishes).[8]

History

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Launched in 1988, Astra 1A was the first satellite in the Astra 19.2°E group. With 16 transponders, Astra 1A was the first satellite intended for DTH reception of satellite TV across Europe. From the start of transmissions in 1989, Astra 1A carried four channels for Sky Television, the world's first commercial multi-channel DTH service, on transponders leased before the satellite was completed.

Early channels broadcasting from 19.2°East included those primarily intended for the UK, Germany, the Benelux countries, and Scandinavia, and so-called pan-European channels such as MTV Europe, CNN International, and Eurosport.

Astra 1A was joined at 19.2°East by Astra 1B in 1991 and subsequently by Astra 1C in 1993, establishing SES' principles of co-locating satellites for the provision of transparent backup by each satellite for the others in the group.

The first three satellites at Astra 19.2°E carried only analogue channels in PAL and D2-MAC. The fourth satellite, Astra 1D launched in 1994, was originally intended to carry the first European digital TV channels but the rapid expansion of satellite television across Europe and demand for analogue TV capacity meant that it was primarily used for analogue signals.

Astra 1E (1995) was dedicated to digital satellite TV services for Europe and subsequent satellites launched to Astra 19.2°E were also all-digital in the traffic they carried.

Hand-in-hand with the switchover to digital transmission of TV by satellite came a shift to encryption and the targeting of channels to individual countries or regions. The demand for digital TV capacity was so great that SES opened up additional orbital positions to provide for new digital networks aimed at specific countries, starting with Astra 28.2°E for the UK and Ireland, in 1998. That became the home of Sky Digital, and the last Sky analogue channels left Astra 19.2°E in 2001.

Most Scandinavian broadcasters have migrated from Astra 19.2°E to 1°West and Astra 5°E, and SES has also opened orbital positions of Astra 23.5°E and Astra 31.5°E to cope with the ever-increasing demands for digital capacity and the expanding markets of Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia that are now served by Astra satellites.

In November 2021, SES ordered two replacement satellites from Thales Alenia Space for launch to Astra 19.2°E in 2024 as Astra 1KR and Astra 1L reach the end of their planned life. Astra 1P will provide direct-to-home broadcast TV to Europe, in particular Germany, France and Spain. Astra 1Q is a reconfigurable software defined satellite with both wide beams for broadcast TV and high-throughput spot beams for video and data customers. Both new satellites should provide service well into the 2040s.[9][10]

Channels

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Tp Frequency 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
49 10,714 H Nickelodeon Germany (95[11]-96) Der Kinderkanal (1997–2012)
Arte (1995–2003) Primetime, Fresh 4U, Astro TV sixx (11-12)
50 10,729 V NBC Super Channel (1995–1996),[11] CNBC Europe (1996–2004) Das Vierte (2005–2009)[12] Movistar+
51 10,744 H Veronica (1995–1996), CMT Europe (1996–1998), Bloomberg Television Animal Planet TV Puls CNBC/ XXP CNBC Germany ARD Digital
52 10,759 V RTL 4 (95-96) QVC Germany (1996–2012)
53 10,773 H SBS6 (95-96) JSTV (1996–2001), CNE (1995–1998) Movistar+ Anixe
54 10,788 V Zee TV (1996–2000), The Chinese Channel (1996–1998) CanalSat Movistar+
55 10,803 H Teleclub (1996–2000) N24 (2000–2012)
56 10,818 V RAISAT TEST TAPE (1990-1996) DF 1 (1996-1998) UK Horizons (-98), UK Style (-98) Bloomberg Germany (98-01), TV Travel Shop (-) Movistar+
57 10,832 H SBS6 (1996) ASTRA Promotional Tape (1996–1997) UK Horizons (98–01), UK Play (–2001) Movistar+ HD+ (2009-)
58 10,847 V Granada Good Life (1996–), Computer Channel (1996–), Granada Breeze (-2000), .TV (–2000), Zomer TV (–1996), Sky Box Office 4 B.TV (00–01) Tango TV (02-), PIN24/TV Shop Movistar+
59 10,862 H Granada Talk TV (96–97), Sky Scottish (96–98), Rapture TV (–2000), FilmFour (–2000) K1010 TV (04-05) TVP Digital (2005-)
60 10,877 V Sky Movies Gold (1995–1997),[11] The Weather Channel (1996–), The Racing Channel (1996–2000), Sky Box Office 2 Get Movistar+
61 10,891 H ProSieben (Switzerland) (1997), Phoenix (1997) Südwest Fernsehen RP (1997–2012)
62 10,906 V Home Order Television (1995–2001) HSE24 (2001–2012)
63 10,921 H Filmnet (1993–1997), The Adult Channel (1995–), Channel 5 (–2001) UPC Direct Premiere
64 10,936 V RTL 5 (1993-1996)[11] tm3 (1996–2001) 9 Live (2001–2010) Movistar+
Tp Frequency 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
33 10,964 H ZDF (1993[11]-2012)
34 10,979 V UK Living (1993[11]–2001), Television X (1995–?), Chinese Channel (1994–1995) Movistar+
35 10,994 H The Children's Channel (1993[11]–1998), The Family Channel (1993–1997), China News and Entertainment (1993–1994), Challenge (1997–2001) Arte (-2012)
36 11,009 V Minimax (1993[11]–1997), Documanía (1996–1997) Phoenix (1997–2012)[13]
37 11,023 H Cartoon Network UK (93-), TNT UK (93-00), TCM UK (00-01) B.TV (01-05) Astro TV (2005–08) Premiere HD Telespazio SES/Canal Digitaal
38 11,038 V QVC UK (1993–2001) Movistar+
39 11,053 H WDR Fernsehen (1993–2012)
40 11,068 V Cineclassics (1993–1997) Hessen Fernsehen (-2012)
41 11,082 H Discovery Channel UK (1993–2001), CMT Europe (1993–1994), TLC UK (1994–1997), Discovery Home & Leisure UK (1997–2001) BR-alpha (-2012)
42 11,097 V Bravo (1993–2001), The Adult Channel (1993–1995), EBN (1995–98), Trouble (1997–2001), CNBC Europe (-98) DVB Movistar+
43 11,112 H MDR Fernsehen (1993[11]-2012)
44 11,127 V Galavision (1993–1997), Sky Travel (1997–2000), Sky Movies Gold (1997–2000) VIVA Movistar+
45 11,141 H Bayerisches Fernsehen (1993–2012)
46 11,156 V Nickelodeon UK (1993–2001), TV Asia (1993–1996), VH-1 Germany(1995), The Paramount Channel (1995–2001) Movistar+
47 11,171 H Sky Sports 2 (94-01), Sci Fi Channel UK (95-97), Sky Soap (95-97), Sky Sports Gold (95-97), Sky Travel (95-97), The History Channel UK (95-97), China News and Entertainment (1994–1995) SFB1 (01–03) RBB Berlin (03–05) 1-2-3 TV (2004–2008) Orange
48 11,186 V Südwest Fernsehen Baden-Württemberg (1993-2012)
Tp Frequency 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
1 11,214 H Screensport (1989–1993) RTL2 (1993-2012)
2 11,229 V RTL (1989–2012)
3 11,244 H TV3 Sweden (1989–1996) Granada Plus/Granada Men & Motors (1996–2001) RTL Shop/Channel 21 Shop (2001–2011) ORF Digital
4 11,259 V Eurosport (1989–2012)
5 11,273 H Lifestyle/The Children's Channel (1989–1993) VOX (1993–2012)
6 11,288 V Sat.1 (1989–2012)
7 11,303 H TV1000 (1989–1996) Fox Kids (1996–2001) Viva Zwei (2001–2002), Viva Plus (2002–2007) Comedy Central Germany (2007–2009) ORF Digital HD (2009-)
Sky 2 (96-97) National Geographic Channel (1997–2001), Channel 7 Europe (1998), Sky Barker (1997-?)
8 11,318 V Sky One (1989–2001), TV Asia (1992–1994) Movistar+
9 11,332 H Eurosp. (1989) Teleclub (1990–1995) Kabel 1 (1995–2012)
10 11,347 V 3sat (1990–2012), ZDF Musikkanal (1990–1993) ZDF HD
11 11,362 H Filmnet (1989–1997), The Adult Channel (1997) Bloomberg UK (1997–1998), Sky Box Office 3 (1998–2000), Bloomberg DE (2000–2008) ARD/ZDF/Arte HD ZDF HD
12 11,377 V Sky News (1989–2001) XXP (-06) DMAX (2006–2011)
13 11,391 H RTL-Véronique (1989–1990) RTL 4 (1990–1995) Super RTL (1995–2012)
14 11,406 V Pro Sieben (1989–2012)
15 11,421 H MTV Europe (1989–1997) MTV UK & Ireland (01-07) MTV2 Pop (01-05) Nick Germany (05-11), Comedy Central (09-11) SES
16 11,436 V Sky Movies (89-97), Sky Movies Screen 1 (97-98), Sky Moviemax (98-01) Movistar+ Arena Movistar+
Tp Frequency 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
17 11,464 H Premiere (1991–2003) sonnenklar.TV (2003–2009)[14] HD+ (2010-)
18 11,479 V The Movie Channel (91-97), Sky Movies Screen 2 (97-98), Sky Premier (98-01) CanalSat
19 11,494 H Eins Plus (91-93) Das Erste (1993–2012) ARD HD
20 11,509 V Sky Sports (1991–1996) Sky Sports 1 (1996–2001) Movistar+ Globecast
21 11,523 H Tele 5 (91-92) DSF/Sport1 (1993–2012)
22 11,538 V Eurosport (1991), MTV Europe (1992–1994), VH1 UK (1994–2001) Movistar+ Globecast
23 11,553 H FilmNet (91-92) UK Gold (1992–2001) Tele 5 (2002-2012)
24 11,568 V JSTV (1991-1996), The Children's Channel (1991-1993) CMT Europe (1994–1996) Sky Soap (1997–1999), The History Channel UK (1997–2001), Sci Fi Channel UK (1997–2001) DVB CanalSat
25 11,582 H Nord 3 (1991–2001), NDR Fernsehen (2001–2012) ARD HD
26 11,597 V Comedy Channel (1991), The Adult Channel (1992–1993), TV Asia (1992-1995), Sky Movies Gold (1992-), Disney Channel UK (1995–2001) DVB
27 11,612 H TV3 Denmark (1991–1996) VH-1 Germany/ Nickelodeon Germany (1996–1998) MTV Germany (1999–2010) VIVA (11-12) SES
28 11,627 V CNN International (1992[11]–2010)[15] Movistar+
29 11,641 H TV3 D:k (1991) n-tv (1992–2012)
30 11,656 V Cinemanía (1992-?) ORB Fernsehen/RBB Fernsehen (1997-2012)
31 11,671 H TV3 Norway (1991–1996) Sky Sports 3 (1996–2001) TV Puls (-2003) UPC Direct ProSieben
32 11,686 V Documanía (1992[11]–1996), Sportsmanía (1996–1997), BR alpha (1998-) Movistar+
Tp Frequency 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
65 11,720 H DF1 Premiere
66 11,740 V CanalSat Viacom
67 11,758 H DF1 Premiere
68 11,778 V CanalSat Turner
69 11,798 H DF1 Premiere
70 11,817 V CanalSat
71 11,837 H Astra service ARD Digital
72 11,856 V CanalSat
73 11,876 H Nethold DVB UPC Direct Netsyst. Premiere
74 11,895 V Movistar+ CanalSat
75 11,914 H Premiere
76 11,934 V Movistar+ CanalSat
77 11,954 H Nethold ZDF Vision
78 11,973 V Movistar+ MTV Networks
79 11,992 H Wizja TV UPC Direct Premiere
80 12,012 V Nethold Canal­Digitaal CanalSat
81 12,032 H DF 1 Premiere
82 12,051 V ProSiebenSat.1 Media
83 12,070 H DF 1 Premiere
84 12,090 V DF 1 Premiere CanalSat
Tp Frequency 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
85 12,110 H Premiere ARD Digital
86 12,129 V CanalSat
87 12,148 H DF 1 Premiere DPC SES Platform Services (later MX1, now part of SES Video)
88 12,168 V DVB HDTV CanalSat
89 12,188 H RTL Group
90 12,207 V CanalSat
91 12,226 H DF 1 Filial TV Eurosport
92 12,246 V Movistar+ DVB SES Platform Services (later MX1, now part of SES Video)
93 12,266 H Nethold AB Sat CanalSat ARD Digital
94 12,285 V Movistar+ CanalSat Orange
95 12,304 H Wizja TV UPC Direct Premiere
96 12,324 V ARD CanalSat
97 12,344 H Multichoice CanalDigitaal DVB
98 12,363 V CanalSat
99 12,382 H Wizja TV UPC Direct Premiere
100 12,402 V CanalSat
101 12,422 H ARD Digital DF 1 ARD Digital
102 12,441 V Multichoice Movistar+ HDTV ArenaSat
103 12,460 H DF 1 Internet DVB DPC SES Platform Services (later MX1, now part of SES Video)
104 12,480 V DF 1 DVB DVB DPC SES Platform Services (later MX1, now part of SES Video)
Tp Frequency 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
105 12,515 H CanalDigitaal
106 12,522 V Movistar+ CanalSat CanalSat
107 12,545 H Chello HSI DPC AstraSat AstraNet ProSieben
108 12,552 V DVB
109 12,574 H CanalDigitaal DVB
110 12,581 V Movistar+ CanalSat
111 12,604 H ARD Digital DVB AstraNet Sat@Once DVB ARD Digital
112 12,610 V DF 1 DVB DF 1 CanalSat
113 12,633 H DVB T-Systems Media Broadcast
114 12,640 V CanalSat
115 12,663 H ZDF Vision Internet DVB ORF Digital
116 12,670 V Turner DVB DVB TV Vlaanderen Digitaal CanalSat
117 12,692 H ORF Digital
118 12,699 V MTV Networks CanalSat
119 12,722 H ARD Digital Netsyst. ProSieben Sat.1 HDTV (05-08) TV Vlaanderen Digitaal
120 12,728 V Internet Satlynx CanalSat
Tp Frequency 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

See also

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References

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  1. ^ SES ASTRA 19.2°East (August 2007). Company factsheet
  2. ^ a b c SES Astra 19.2°E (August 2008) Company brochure. Accessed 26 January 2012
  3. ^ Germany completes analogue switch-off on satellite Rapid TV News (1 May 2012). Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  4. ^ "Dedicated DVB-S radio transponder from ARD" Broadband TV News (26 April 2005). Retrieved 28 September 2008.
  5. ^ "ASTRA 1M Satellite Successfully Launched" (Press release). SES ASTRA. 6 November 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Upcoming launches". SES S.A. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Astra 1F/1G/1H/1KR/1L at 19.2°E". LyngSat. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  8. ^ 19.2°E www.ses.com. Accessed 29 December 2019
  9. ^ THALES ALENIA SPACE TO BUILD STATE-OF-THE-ART ASTRA 1P AND ASTRA 1Q SATELLITES FOR SES Thales. 18 November 2021. Accessed 27 November 2021
  10. ^ SES orders two replacement satellites for broadcast market SpaceNews. 18 November 2021.Accessed 27 November 2021
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Chronologie der analogen Transponder 19.2° Ost in den ersten Jahren (Stand 1996) from Steve's Satelliten- und Rumfahrtseiten, originally published in Infosat issue 7, 1996
  12. ^ "Das Vierte reduziert analoge Verbreitung". 6 January 2010.
  13. ^ Sat-UK #142 01.11.97
  14. ^ Empfangsdaten sonnenklar.TV
  15. ^ End of analogue CNN on Astra, Broadband TV News, 15 March 2010
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