Astra 1B & Meteosat 5
This mission is complete.
Vehicle
Ariane 44LP
Profile →The Ariane 6 family is currently under development by the European Space Agency, with two variations including the Ariane 62 with two solid boosters intended for government and scientif...
Provider
Arianespace
Profile →FRA • Founded 1980
Arianespace SA is a multinational company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane programme. Their vehicles...
Mission Brief
Astra 1B was the second of the Astra communications satellites launched and operated by SES (Société Européenne des Satellites). It was believed to have been launched in a faulty condition, and suffered a thruster failure early in its life, causing minor drift, meaning that it became permanently difficult to obtain a steady lock on the satellite. This was most notable on analogue transmissions where the picture would move from clear to carrying sparklies and back again.
Mission Timeline
14 / 14100%Launch Site
Ariane Launch Area 2, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Schedule History
No delays or schedule changes recorded.
