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ASTRA 1N satellite has entered commercial service

Today SES Astra announced that its new ASTRA 1N satellite has entered commercial service at the orbital position of 28.2 degrees East.

Today SES Astra announced that its new ASTRA 1N satellite has e
Published on by on UK Free TV

From SES Astra today:

ASTRA 1N was built by Astrium on the Eurostar E3000 platform and is equipped with 52 transponders in the Ku frequency band. The satellite was successfully launched on board an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, on 6 August 2011. It had a launch mass of 5,325 kg and is the fourth Eurostar satellite in the 49 satellite-strong SES fleet.



ASTRA 1N greatly enhances the flexibility of the SES satellite fleet at the orbital slot 28.2 degrees East over Europe. ASTRA 1N is notably being used by Channel 4 and ITV. The new satellite will also allow SES to offer its satellite-based broadband service ASTRA2Connect via 28.2 degrees East and thus complement its service offer from the 23.5 degrees East position. ASTRA2Connect is Europe's largest satellite broadband network with more than 80,000 end users.







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Nicholas Willmott
Tuesday 25 October 2011 3:39PM
Why another 1 series Astra satellite? I thought Astra 1 series was the old Analogue, and that the Digital Astra satellites were numbered in the 2 series (as of 1998).
Mike Dimmick
Tuesday 25 October 2011 4:40PM
Nicholas Wilmott: It's a '1'-series because its final intended service position is 19.2°E. It's only filling in at 28.2°E until the proper replacements, 2E, 2F and 2G, are built and launched over the next few years.

There is nothing analogue or digital about the satellites, they just relay whatever is transmitted up to them from the ground. The first digital tests at 28.2°E were from Astra 1D, moved there at the end of its service life for that purpose. Astra 1 satellites at 19.2°E (and 2C, which has had a history of being moved here there and everywhere) now carry a mix of analogue channels and digital multiplexes on the various transponders. The remaining analogue channels have been told to move to digital before being shut down next year.

As I said, 2C is at 19.2°E, and could presumably have been moved back to 28.2°E if it was still suitable. However, that only has a single pan-European beam, and the demand is for UK-only footprint. Presumably the UK spot beam got added some time in Astra 1N's construction, too late to push up 2E to an earlier launch.

We still don't know how many of 1N's transponders can use UK-only footprint. In frequency terms, several of the transponders would overlap with Eurobird 1 (28.5°E, close enough to effectively be part of the Sky and Freesat platforms) or with 2A or 2B.
Briantist
Tuesday 25 October 2011 6:01PM
Nicholas Willmott: In addition to Mike's comments, Astra have updated their website at en.ses.com link icon 
Satellite Fleet & Coverage - SES.com
 .

I can understand why you might think that "Astra 1 was analogue" as the Sky analogue services were on Astra 1, and indeed there are still some analogue services ("PAL") at 19.2 east - www.lyngsat.com link icon Astra 1H/1KR/1L/1M/2C at 19.2°E - LyngSat .

However, Mike's had explained the situation to you.
Ian
Tuesday 25 October 2011 9:06PM Hinckley
But when will we know whats going to be on it FTA????

Apart from channel 4 & 5s???
Mark A.
Tuesday 25 October 2011 9:59PM
Re Ian
www.lyngsat.com link icon Astra 1N at 28.2°E - LyngSat
will list the channels when they start.
(Is empty at the moment)

www.lyngsat.com link icon Europe, Africa & Middle East - LyngSat
has links to the other 28' east satellites. (RH163LB)
StuartPlymouth
Thursday 27 October 2011 7:57PM
I thought ASTRA1x was the name originally given to satellites at the original 19 degrees East position (for Sky analogue & many others), but that 28.2E was all digital and generallt labelled as ASTRA2x, apart from when satellites were moved to replace those that 'died'.

Is there a reason why SES/ASTRA are now mixing/macthing the names, or was I being too simplistic in my view of how that was done?
StuartPlymouth
Thursday 27 October 2011 8:00PM
Sorry, I should've read Mike's post above before commenting. He explains it well.

My bad!
NottsUK
Wednesday 2 November 2011 12:02AM
Briantist: A new transponder has started on Astra 1N, the details are,
Frequency 11171
Polarity Horizontal
Symbol Rate 22000
DVB Standard DVB-S
Modulation QPSK
FEC 5/6.
It is a duplicate of the channels on Astra 2B transponder 26, 12207 V.
NottsUK
Wednesday 2 November 2011 10:31AM
Briantist: This transponder, (11171H), has now been switched off.
Mike Dimmick
Wednesday 2 November 2011 2:10PM
NottsUK: My assumption is that everything is still in test, with experimentation on just how much or little forward-error-correction is required, and how reliable use of 8PSK will be. 8-phase-shift keying, as opposed to quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK), delivers three bits per symbol rather than two, but requires more signal-to-noise ratio for the same error-correcting code rate.

DVB-S2 also defines 16-APSK and 32-APSK, which require multiple amplitudes as well as changing the phase, but I wouldn't expect to see support in domestic receivers, as it's not mandatory.

I'll consider testing ended when a service is deleted from a 2A/2B/2D transponder, or an FTA service appears in the Freesat EPG.
Heinz
Saturday 5 November 2011 3:44PM
It looks like one Tp has been activated.

Astra 1N at 28.2°E - LyngSat (CO62QX)
Briantist
Saturday 5 November 2011 4:05PM
Heinz: That transponder does appear to be showing a test service. If it one that will finally be allocated to the Channel 4 corporation is unknown.

It is usual that when a "bird" reaches the correct orbital position, the whole device will undergo a period of testing.

This is largely because the users will expect a flawless service over the coming years. Al though each satellite contains redundant systems to allow parts of the system to fail, given the impossibility of repair, it is vital that testing it carried out before being used for public service.

Given the noises from Channel 5 about the launch of Channel 5+1, I think you may start seeing service up and running in three to four weeks.
NottsUK
Monday 7 November 2011 5:41PM
Briantist: Four Channel 5 channels, 5 USA, 5 USA+1, 5* and 5*+1 have appeared on Astra 1N. They are on transponder 10964, H, DVB-S, 22000, 5/6. At the moment they are all encrypted.
Briantist
Monday 7 November 2011 6:43PM
NottsUK: Thanks for that.
NottsUK
Friday 18 November 2011 1:38PM
Briantist: A couple of ITV 1 channels have appeared on Astra 1N at,
Frequency 11053
Polarity Horizontal
Symbol Rate 22000
FEC 5/6.
They are shown as 20710 and 20711.
NottsUK
Friday 18 November 2011 1:58PM
Briantist: 20710 is Meridian while 20711 is Central.
NottsUK
Friday 18 November 2011 3:42PM
Briantist: 20710 has been changed to 20700.
Briantist
Friday 18 November 2011 5:26PM
NottsUK: Yes, I have those two. Pictures of Birmingham and Southampton seem to check it out...
U
Thursday 8 December 2011 2:48PM
ITV1 central east and south are broadcasting free to air on freesat again
NottsUK
Thursday 8 December 2011 4:33PM
U: Although ITV1 Central East and ITV1 Central South are transmitting free-to-air via Astra 1N, I am still receiving ITV Central West with an East Midland post code. I get BBC 1 East Midlands on Freesat 101 and ITV1 Central West on Freesat 103.
U
Thursday 8 December 2011 8:16PM
NottsUK,I receive all freesat tv channels on a silvercrest hdmi satellite receiver.Channels can be arranged in any order I want on the EPG.ITV1 Central South used to be called Thames Valley or Meridian North.Try alternative East Midlands post codes,you may get lucky.
NottsUK
Thursday 8 December 2011 8:42PM
U: All Freesat channels can be received on any HD satellite receiver as they all come from the same source. As far as I know Silvercrest, made in Germany by Comag and distributed in this country by LIDL, do not make a genuine Freesat receiver, but do make free-to-air receivers. ITV1 Central East can be received on a Freesat receiver on its other channels option, but it is a case of waiting until ITV or Freesat change ITV1 Central West with ITV1 Central East on Freesat 103 for the East Midlands.
NottsUK
Wednesday 11 January 2012 11:51AM
Briantist: Two new transponders have been switched on, on Astra 1N they are,
11113,H,DVB-S2,QPSK,23000,8/9.
11141,H,DVB-S2,8PSK,23000,2/3.
If these transponders stay switched on it seems that they will be used for HD channels.
NottsUK
Wednesday 11 January 2012 2:56PM
Briantist: Each of the above transponders are transmitting a BBC London test card at the moment. One is TEST TXP 1 and the other is TEST TXP2.
Mike Dimmick
Wednesday 11 January 2012 6:06PM
NottsUK: Probably for the imminent BBC One HD Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland services, then.
SAM
Saturday 3 March 2012 5:16PM
We live in SW France 50 kms north of Beziers. We currently have excellent coverage for all UK freesat programmes with Astra 2.

Am I correct in my understanding that when Astra 1 N is fully operational, because it has a narrow beam down to UK and only some coverage over NW corner of France, that in fact we will lose all coverage of UK Freesat TV down here? Please can someone explain in layman's terms exactly what is going to happen with this new satellite?
michael
Sunday 4 March 2012 9:46AM
ASTRA 1N COVERAGE: The footprint at the top of this page gives some indication of what can be expected. The link below suggests a larger dish may resolve the problem. The figures on the map are dish diameters reported to provide an acceptable signal. So 90-120cm might be indicated in your area. Check with other local viewers and let us know what the common experience turns out to be! en.kingofsat.net link icon Reception Reports - KingOfSat

NottsUK
Wednesday 13 June 2012 3:10PM
Briantist: Eight SD BBC Sport Olympic Streams have appeared on Astra 1N frequency 10921 H. They are identified by their SID numbers, 7802, 7808, 7814, 7820, 7826, 7832, 7838 and 7844.
Briantist
Sunday 1 July 2012 9:32AM
NottsUK: Thanks for the info. I will do a write up on the Sky HD streams that carry the BBC Olympic videostream shortly.
Chris Weaver
Saturday 13 October 2012 11:01PM
So what has happened to BBC3 and BBC4 since 12th October? Both have suddenly disappeared from the list of TV channels I can receive via Astra 28.2E, but all other BBC and ITV channels (plus Channel 4, etc.) and all the usual radio stations are still coming through loud and clear. Are BBC3 and BBC4 to be restored to Astra 28.2E, and if so, when? I would miss them terribly if they are no longer available.
Chris Weaver
Sunday 14 October 2012 8:28PM
Follow up to yesterday: I spoke too soon. Now ITV3 and ITV4 have vanished as well. Incidentaly, some time (several months) ago, Channel Five also became unobtainable. Is the list of Freeview channels really being reduced in this way? From information published by Astra, it doesn't appear so, but why am I then having these problems? Grateful for ány help or information.
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