Alphasat launch: latest from Kourou

Date: Wed, Jul 24, 2013 | 18:00 - 18:30 GMT | 20:00 - 20:30 CEST

Type: ESA TV Exchange

Format: 16:9

Alphasat, the largest European-built telecommunication satellite, is planned for launch this 25 July 2013 at 19h53 GMT on top of an Ariane 5 from Europe’s Spaceport in  Kourou, French Guiana.

The size of a double decker with a span of 40 metres with its solar arrays deployed, Alphasat will have a mass at launch of 6.6 tonnes.

Alphasat is based on a Public Private Partnership between the European Space Agency and Inmarsat, the global communication operator. It is the biggest public–private space project ever made in Europe.

Alphasat is the first use of the new high-power Alphabus platform for communication satellites market segment beyond 6 tons for increased satellite services: direct-to-home TV and digital audio broadcasting, broadband access and mobile services.

Alphabus has been developed by a consortium between Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, under contract with ESA and CNES, leading to a European-wide industrial consortium.

Alphasat, the first satellite based on Alphabus, will expand Inmarsat’s global mobile telecommunication network. It embarks advanced technology with a new generation digital signal processor to deliver high-power services and also hosts four technology demonstration payloads, developed through ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme.

This feed provides latest images from Kourou with campaign preparation of Alphasat and Ariane 5 and their roll out to launch pad with interviews of Alphasat key management at ESA and Inmarsat.

This B Roll will be posted as soon as possible after transmission on the ESA TV ftp server.

More information at : http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Alphasat

Satellite Parameters:

EUTELSAT 10A 10 deg East TXP B3 CHANNEL 6MHZ SLOT 3A6
DOWNLINK FR.: 11042 MHZ POL X
SD 625 16:9 50Hz DVBS2 8PSK 4.9373Ms/s FEC 3/4,
P RoF 0.2 (11_SD MPEG2 420 10.7514 Mbps)

or

EUTELSAT 7A 7 deg East TXP B4 CHANNEL 9MHZ SLOT 4E9 (P2)
DOWNLINK FR.: 11070.5 MHZ POL Y
SD 625 16:9 50Hz DVBS QPSK 6.6665Ms/s FEC 7/8,
RoF 0.35 (11_SD MPEG2 420 10.7514 Mbps)

For any inquiries regarding satellite or ftp reception please contact the ESA TV production team:

Dominique Detain at dominique.detain@esa.int or + 33 685 114 681 

Chris Courtenay Taylor at chrisct@worldwidepictures.tv or + 44 7774 275 951