Satellite comparison charts.
These tables contain technical details about some of the broadcast satellites that are operating / have operated in the skies above Europe from about 60 degrees East to 60 degrees West.
I found the Astra series 1 & 2 information scattered across the SES-Astra web site. The Eutelsat web site has provided much of the information about their satellites.
It's interesting to see how the performance of the spacecraft has improved over the years.
Astra 1A was commissioned in 1988 and has a transmission power of 45W, and ran 16 transponders. The launch weight was 1768 kg, and the solar cells could provide 2600W.
In 1999, Astra 1H launched and the transmission power was up to 98 W. The launch weight was a hefty 3700kg, and the solar cells can provide 6600W.
The ill fated Astra 1K, launched in November 2002, could provide 12400W of power, and run 52 transponders at the same time. It had a launch mass of 5250kg, and the transmission power was 105W.
Compare these to one of the very early European broadcast satellites. Symphonie A was launched in 1974, and had a launch mass of 400kg. The 2 (C-band) transponders were powered by the 300W the solar sails could provide, and the transponders were rated at a miniscule 13W !
Nov 2004: Now most of the major satellites are on the chart, l'll be adding some of the more obscure birds that have operated in the skies above Europe :-)
Still to add - Eutelsat Ka-Sat / Turksat 3A
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