Launch of the first Eurostar Neo satellite

The first satellite to be built under ESA’s Eurostar Neo programme has launched.

The satellite – called Eutelsat Hotbird 13F – was developed and built by satellite manufacturer Airbus for satellite operator Eutelsat. It is based on the Eurostar Neo telecommunications satellite platform, developed under an ESA Partnership Project with Airbus designed to foster innovation and competitiveness in the European space industry.

It was launched on a Space-X flight from Cape Canaveral, USA, at 01:22 local time on 15 October (06:22 CEST) and full contact with the satellite was confirmed at 10:42 CEST.

The satellite is one of an identical pair, the second of which – Eutelsat Hotbird 13G – is due to launch next month.

Once in geostationary orbit some 36 000 km above Earth, the twin satellites will reinforce and enhance the broadcast of more than a thousand television channels into homes across Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East, replacing three older satellites.