ASTRA 1K Safely De-Orbited.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers BETZDORF, Luxembourg--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 10, 2002 After extensive expert analysis of the technical status of the ASTRA 1K Astra 1K was a communications satellite manufactured by Alcatel Space for SES Astra. When it was launched on November 25, 2002 it was the most massive civilian communications satellite ever launched, weighing 5250 kg (0 lb). satellite following its failed launch on a Proton booster on November 26th, the engineering teams of SES ASTRA SES Astra SA, is a corporate subsidiary of SES, based in Betzdorf, in eastern Luxembourg, that owns and operates the Astra series of geostationary satellites, which transmit approximately 1100 analogue and digital television and radio channels via 176 transponders to 91 , following detailed consultations with its partners, have come to the conclusion that due to the rapid degradation of the satellite, coupled to the technical difficulties and risks associated with such a mission, a commercial in orbit recovery is not a viable option for the spacecraft which was stranded in a low-Earth orbit. As a consequence, the satellite was safely de-orbited this morning over the Pacific Ocean with the assistance of satellite manufacturer Alcatel Space and the French Space Agency CNES CNES Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (French Space Agency) (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales), which was providing a worldwide tracking network for the ASTRA 1K mission. The spacecraft re-entered the Earth's atmosphere at 02.00 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) See UTC. GMT - Universal Time 1 and was completely destroyed. Debris fell in a polygon bounded by 27(degree) South to 54(degree) South and 133(degree) West to 174(degree) West. Airways and sea lanes were cleared by the New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. authorities, no damage was reported. |
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