SES, a leading satellite operator, has announced that Astra 1P is now fully operational at its orbital position of 19.2° East. Following extensive testing, the satellite is ready to serve broadcasters, sports organizations, and content owners across Europe.
Equipped with 80 transponders, Astra 1P offers the capacity to support hundreds of HD TV channels, reaching key European markets. Milton Torres, CTO of SES, stated, “With Astra 1P now fully operational, we are setting a new standard for satellite broadcasting in Europe.” He further highlighted the satellite's role in enhancing the delivery of premium content, particularly emphasizing the growing demand for high-quality sports broadcasting: “This new offering will enhance our ability to deliver premium content with superior reliability and image quality to 118 million TV households. This includes sports and events content, where we are seeing growing demand from viewers, as well as sports leagues, teams, federations and rights holders.”
Built by Thales Alenia Space and launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on June 20, 2024, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, Astra 1P is a significant addition to SES's satellite fleet. Its successor, Astra 1Q, is scheduled for launch in 2027. By 2028, both Astra 1P and Astra 1Q will replace existing satellites at 19.2° East, ensuring continued high-quality content delivery to direct-to-home (DTH) satellite households and cable headends across Europe.