Enhancing TV Experiences over 19.2 degrees East
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ASTRA 1P was successfully launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States, on 20 June at 5:35 pm local time.
Watch ASTRA 1P Launch Into Space!
About ASTRA 1P & ASTRA 1Q
With a mission to augment and strengthen SES’s pan-European coverage at 19.2 degrees East, SES and Thales Alenia Space are working together on two new satellites – ASTRA 1P & ASTRA 1Q. ASTRA 1P was launched on 20 June 2024, while ASTRA 1Q is scheduled to launch in 2026.
By 2028, the satellites will seamlessly replace the current 19.2 degrees East fleet, continuing the delivery of premium content to 119 million TV households across Europe.
ASTRA 1P
Launched on 20 June from Cape Canaveral, ASTRA 1P is the most powerful wide-beam satellite to ever orbit at 19.2 degrees East. It will ensure superior reliability while delivering unparalleled image quality for broadcasters and content owners across some of SES’s largest TV markets in Germany, Spain, and France.
ASTRA 1Q
Equipped with next-generation capabilities, ASTRA 1Q is a high-throughput satellite that will enable new use case opportunities through its increased flexibility and software-defined adaptability for video and data customers.
History of 19.2° East
19.2 degrees East is SES’s prime orbital slot and TV neighbourhood, outpacing its peers to deliver content to 44% of all classic TV homes in Europe via cable, satellite or IPTV.
In 1988, SES’s first satellite, ASTRA 1A, was launched to the 19.2 degrees East orbital position, revolutionising how viewers in Europe can access more TV channels across different countries at once.
Since then, SES has launched more than a dozen additional satellites, all of which have been at the forefront of providing digital TV, radio and multimedia services in the region for more than 30 years.
Key Markets
Satellites at 19.2 degrees East serve public and private broadcasters, delivering over 850 channels across DTH pay TV and FTA platforms in Europe.
DACH
With an unparalleled 96% penetration in the DACH region, SES delivers content to 42 million TV households via satellite, cable, and IPTV. SES serves a mix of public and private broadcasters, including RTL, Sky Deutschland, ARD, ORF, ZDF, ProSiebenSat.1, HIGH VIEW, and QVC Germany, ensuring seamless delivery of their content to audiences across the region.
France
Serving 17.5 million homes via its 19.2 degrees East orbital position, SES reaches 63% of all satellite, cable, and IPTV households in the country. Over 5 million homes are equipped with dishes aimed at 19.2 degrees East, constituting 89% of all DTH households. SES facilitates the transmission of major TV packages in France, including pay TV from CANAL+ Group and Orange.
Spain
As a leading provider of satellite TV services in Spain, SES partners with Telefonica to deliver its pay TV platform Movistar+ over 19.2 degrees East. SES also carries a significant number of free-to-air (FTA) international TV channels. Moreover, Telefonica Audiovisual Services relies on SES for satellite broadcasting, offering individual TV channels from around the world the opportunity to leverage the 7.5 million TV household reach in Spain through the 19.2 degrees East.
HD+ in Germany
Launched in 2009, the HD+ high-definition satellite TV platform delivers premium content to over 2 million subscribers in Germany. With almost 80 HD and UHD channels, HD+ caters to evolving consumer behaviour, offering HD+ ToGo and HD+ Stream for on-the-go live TV, and HD+ IP for non-satellite network access. HD+ has strategically partnered with TV manufacturers, including Sony and Samsung, integrating HD+ into various TV models to make its TV package more accessible.
Sports & Events
To address the growing demand for sports and events content, SES has launched a sports-dedicated satellite distribution platform ASTRA 1 Sports over 19.2 degrees East offering reliable and high-quality content distribution in Europe. Since then, more than 1,500 sporting events, amounting up to thousands of hours, have been broadcast to millions of TV households.
Media Gallery
Keep up to date with the development of Astra 1P and Astra 1Q!
