SES’s Astra 5B satellite to launch this week

SES’s Astra 5B satellite, which was built by Airbus Defence and Space, is due to launch on board an Ariane 5 launcher on Friday March 21.

The delayed 5B is the first of six Airbus telecommunications satellites that are due to launch in 2014, according to the firm.

SES said that the satellite will be launched into space from the European Space Centre in French Guiana on board an Ariane 5 ECA rocket between 19:05 pm and 20:02 pm local time.

Astra 5B will be deployed at 31.5° East and will provide transponder capacity in Ku and Ka bands. Its reach will be over Eastern European and neighbouring markets for DTH, direct-to-cable and feeding to digital terrestrial television networks.

Astra 5B will be the eighth Airbus Defence and Space-built Eurostar E3000 satellite in the SES fleet to be placed in orbit, following the recent launches of ASTRA 2E in September 2013, SES-6 in June 2013 and ASTRA 2F in September 2012.