Satellite operator SES confirms new Astra 1P satellite has completed testing and is fully operational. It’s now on its way to its final orbital position, where it will begin to take over from existing satellites serving viewers across Europe.
- Astra 1P will begin serving broadcasters and audiences in the new year via the 19.2°E orbital position.
- To replace satellites that are nearly 20 years old.
- BBC News Europe feed among services expected to migrate.
- Future of 19.2°E orbital position secured in contrast to 28.2°E, used by UK and Ireland broadcasters.
SES announced today that Astra 1P, the company’s most advanced satellite to be positioned at 19.2°E, has completed comprehensive testing and is now fully operational.
Satellite tracking data from n2yo.com shows Astra 1P is now on its way to 19.2°E. In the new year, the satellite will start serving public and private broadcasters, sports organisations and content owners.
Equipped with 80 transponders, Astra 1P can support hundreds of HD TV channels for direct-to-home reception across Europe.
Built by Thales Alenia Space, the satellite was successfully launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on 20 June 2024 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Replacing 20 year old satellites
It will initially take over duties from Astra 1KR and Astra 1L, which are nearly two decades old and past their originally intended life span of 15 years. Astra 1P also has capacity to take on board content from Astra 1M, which originally launched in 2008.
Later this decade, Astra 1Q is set to replace Astra 1N, a satellite that originally began its life supplying UK viewers with access to the BBC and ITV before moving to 19.2°E.
Astra 1Q (pictured above on the right alongside Astra 1P on the left) will be a different kind of satellite that can adapted to carry many different types of service with different footprints. This means that as traditional linear TV services decline, it can be reused for other communications purposes.
BBC News HD among channels on the move
The Europe HD feed of BBC News will be among the channels that will change satellite in 2025. It’s currently broadcasting on Astra 1KR, the oldest satellite serving audiences on 19.2°E.
Most viewers aren’t expected to notice any changes when channels switch to the new satellite. Any impact will be limited to a short break in reception, usually timed to take place during the early hours of the morning.
New satellites serving Europe highlight uncertainty over UK-specific satellite TV
SES has invested in Astra 1P to preserve the 19.2°E orbital position that was once used by Sky in the UK and Ireland, but still used to deliver TV channels and live sports feeds to customers and audiences across the continent. Original satellites Astra 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D supplied the old Sky analogue satellite TV service in the 1990s. Sky then switched to Astra 2 at 28.2°E for the launch of Sky Digital.
Unlike the Astra 1 orbital position, there are currently no plans to launch new satellites at 28.2°E to replace the aging satellites begin to reach end of life at the end of the decade.
Currently broadcasters only have deals in place to secure satellite TV services to audiences in the UK and Ireland until the end of 2029. Sky is pushing hard to migrate viewers to its IPTV-based services. However, satellite is still needed by viewers in areas not served by terrestrial, cable or fibre broadband networks.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: SES