Astra 31.5°E Satellite Overview

The Astra 31.5°E satellite is a popular choice for satellite TV providers in Europe. It's located at an altitude of 36,000 km above the equator, making it a prime spot for broadcasting to a large audience.

Astra 31.5°E is one of the most widely used satellites for broadcasting in Europe, with over 800 TV channels and 100 radio stations broadcasting from it. This satellite has been in operation since 1998.

The Astra 31.5°E satellite has a coverage area that includes much of Europe, including the UK, Germany, France, and many other countries.

A fresh viewpoint: Astra 23.5°E

Astra 31.5°E is SES' newest satellite position, intended to develop the markets for direct-to-home (DTH) standard definition and high definition TV and radio broadcasting, interactive TV, cable contribution, and DTT and other terrestrial feeds in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

The satellite's intended market includes countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Jordan, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Tunisia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

As of December 2019, the Astra satellites at 31.5° east broadcast on 46 transponders (6 Ka-band and 40 Ku-band) to 15.4 million households (11.8 million via cable, 1.9 million via IPTV and 1.6 million direct to home satellite dishes).

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The Astra 5B satellite went live at 31.5 degrees East over Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

It was launched by an Ariane 5 rocket from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guyana, on March 22nd, 2014.

The satellite provides DTH as well as direct-to-cable services and contribution feeds to digital terrestrial television networks in its target markets.

ASTRA 5B was built by Airbus Defence and Space Systems in Toulouse, France, based on the highly reliable Eurostar E3000 platform.

The satellite is equipped with 40 Ku-band transponders and 6 Ka-band transponders.

ASTRA 5B replaces ASTRA 1G at the orbital position of 31.5 degrees East, increasing available capacity from 19 to 40 active transponders.

With the launch of ASTRA 5B, SES now has 1,536 active satellite transponders on its global satellite fleet, comprising 55 active spacecraft at 37 orbital slots around the world.

Expand your knowledge: Astra Trident Openshift

Astra 31.5°E is SES' newest satellite position, intended to develop the markets for direct-to-home (DTH) standard definition and high definition TV and radio broadcasting, interactive TV, cable contribution, and DTT and other terrestrial feeds in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

A fresh viewpoint: Canal+ (Polish TV Provider)

The intended market for this position includes countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Jordan, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Tunisia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

The pan-European beam of Astra 5A provided capacity for cable distribution, DTT and other terrestrial feeds, while 5A's CEE beam provided a high-power footprint for the DTH market.

In December 2010, SES announced two agreements for the lease of capacity on Astra 1G, one with Ukrkosmos to provide capacity for broadcasting direct to Ukrainian homes and another with Central European Media Enterprises (CME) to distribute services to cable head ends in Romania and Bulgaria.

Astra 1G has provided similar coverage to Astra 5A as of July 2010, with eight transponders leased on this satellite, including one to provide IP backbone services to small and medium-sized ISPs in the Middle East and Caucasus region.

As of December 2019, the Astra satellites at 31.5° east broadcast on 46 transponders to 15.4 million households, with 11.8 million households receiving the signal via cable.

Additional reading: Astra 19.2°E

The Astra satellites at 31.5° east broadcast on 46 transponders to 15.4 million households. This includes 6 Ka-band and 40 Ku-band transponders.

With a total of 46 transponders, the Astra satellites can reach a significant number of households. This is a testament to the satellites' capacity and reach.

In terms of household reach, 11.8 million households receive the signal via cable, while 1.9 million households receive it via IPTV.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Kacific Broadband Satellites

The Astra 31.5°E satellite has a range of technical details that are worth noting.

The Astra 5B KU Band LNB frequency is universal, making it compatible with various systems.

For those looking to set up their own system, it's worth noting that an Astra LNB frequency KU Band is available.

SES operates a number of satellites at various orbital positions, including Astra 5°E, Astra 19.2°E, Astra 23.5°E, and Astra 28.2°E.

Astra 5°E is one of the positions where SES has a satellite in use.

Worth a look: SES (company)

Optus satellites and SES Sirius satellite's previous operator are also mentioned as being associated with SES.

SES operates a fleet of satellites, including those in the SES fleet, AMC fleet, NSS fleet, and Astra fleet.

Here are the specific satellites operated by SES:

The KU Band LNB Frequency is a specific setting used for satellite TV systems. Astra 5B KU Band LNB Frequency is a universal setting.

For optimal performance, the LNB frequency should be set to match the satellite's frequency. Astra 5B KU Band LNB Frequency is a widely used setting.

In most cases, a universal LNB frequency setting will work, but it's always a good idea to check the specific requirements for your satellite system.