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Astra 1A

retired

CommunicationsGEOCOSPAR 1988-109BLaunched 12/11/1988

Mission & Launch

Launch Mission: Skynet 4B/Astra 1A
Launch Vehicle: Ariane 44LP 44LP
Launch Date: 12/11/1988
Last Contact: 12/7/2004

Orbit & Mass

Orbit Class: GEO
Altitude: 35,779 km
Inclination: 0.1 deg
Dry Mass: 850 kg
Total Mass: 1,780 kg

Payload Classification

Mission Type: Communications
Payload Category: COM
Payload Class: B

Organizations

Operator: SES
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin

Constellation

Name: ASTRA 1GEO fleet
Active Satellites: 10
Planned Satellites: 1

Registry

COSPAR ID: 1988-109B
UN Registration: A/AC.105/INF.401

Mentions

1

All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.

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SES launched its first satellite, ASTRA 1A, in 1989 for video distribution at the 19.2 degrees East orbital position.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Oct 19, 2022In a world obsessed with video, satellite remains a key distribution platform