Comparison of the
Hotbird
series satellites.
Thanks to Stephen McGarry for compiling the
original version of this table.
I added the Hotbird 6 column after its launch in August 2002, the Hotbird 7 column was
added September 2002 once info became available.
Hotbird 7A ordered 28th July 2003 - her column added on this date.
Hotbird 8 column added 14th September 2003
Hotbird 2 is now known as Eurobird 9 at 9E but is left in the table.
Hotbird 3 is now known as Eurobird 4 at 4E, but is left in the table for sake of completeness.
Hotbird 4 now known as Atlantic Bird 4 at 7W, but is left in this table for the sake of completeness.
Hotbird 5 now known as Eurobird 2 at 25.5E, but is left in this table for the sake of completeness.
Hotbird 9 was ordered 4th May 2006.
Hotbird 10 ordered 19th October 2006, and HB10 column added
Hotbird 3 (Eurobird10) moved to 10E and renamed Eurobird 4 15/3/2007
Hotbirds 8 9 & 10 are identical.
The main satellite comparison index
| Satellite: | Hotbird 1 | Hotbird 2 (Eurobird 9) |
Hotbird 3 (Eurobird 4) |
Hotbird 4 (Atlantic Bird 4) |
Hotbird 5 (Eurobird 2) |
Hotbird 6 |
| . | . | (note 7) | .(note 2) | .(note 5) | (note 1) | . |
| Launch | 28 / 3 / 1995 | 21 / 11 / 1996 | 2 / 9 / 1997 | 27 / 2 / 1998 | 9 / 10 / 1998 | 21 / 8 / 2002 |
| Launch Location | Kourou | Cape Canaveral | Kourou | Kourou | Cape Canaveral | Cape Canaveral |
| Launch Mass (kg) | 1870 | 2910 | 2915 | 2885 | 2995 | 3990 |
| Expected Lifetime (years) | 10 | 12-15 | 12 | 12-15 | 14 | 15 |
| Power Consumption (watts) | 3000 | 5500 | ? | 6000 | 5500 | 10500 |
| Transponder Capacity at launch | 16 | 26 | 32 | 28 | 22 | 28 Ku 4Ka |
| TWTA Output (watts) | 70 | 115 | 135 | 135 | 135 | 130 Ku 115 Ka |
| Transponder Bandwidth (MHz) | 36 | 20
@ 33MHz. 5 @ 36MHz. 1 @ 72MHz. |
19
@ 33MHz. 1 @ 50MHz. 12 @ 72MHz. |
25
@ 33MHz. 1 @ 46.5MHz. 2 @ 36MHz. |
12
@ 33MHz. 8 @ 36MHz. 2 @ 72MHz. |
16 @ 33MHz. 12 @ 36MHz. Ka 4 @ 72MHz. |
| Channels (MHz) | 11200-11550 | 11550-12100 | 10990-11160 12110-12710 |
10700-10950 12600-12750 |
10950-11200 11550-11700 12500-12600 |
10700-10950 10950-11200 11450-11700 12500-12750 Ka 19700-20200 |
| Current Location | junk orbit | 9°E | 4°E | 7°W | 25.5°E | 13°E |
| Possible Decommission Date | decommissioned late 2006 | 2008-2011 | 2009 | 2010-2013 | 2012 | 2017 |
| Manufacturer / Spacecraft type | Aerospatiale Spacebus-2000 |
Matra
Marconi Space Eurostar-2000+ |
Matra
Marconi Space Eurostar-2000+ |
Matra
Marconi Space Eurostar-2000+ |
Matra
Marconi Space Eurostar-2000+ |
Alcatel Spacebus-3000B3 |
| Stabilisation type | 3-axis | 3-axis | 3-axis | 3-axis | 3-axis | 3-axis |
| Satellite: | Hotbird 7 | Hotbird 7A | Hotbird 8 | Hotbird 9 | Hotbird 10 | . |
| . | (note 3) | .(note 6) | (note 4) | . | . | . |
| Launch | 11 / 11 / 2002 | 12 / 3 / 2006 | 4 / 8 / 2006 | late 2008 | Q1 2009 | . |
| Launch Location | Kourou | Kourou | Baikonur | tba | tba | . |
| Launch Mass (kg) | 3400 | 4100 | 4900 | tba | tba | . |
| Expected Lifetime (years) | 15 | 15+ | 15+ | 15 | 15 | . |
| Power Consumption (watts) | 7500 | about 10000 | 13000 | 11000 | 11000 | . |
| Transponder Capacity at launch | 40 | 38 | 64 | 64 | 64 | . |
| TWTA Output (watts) | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | . |
| Transponder Bandwidth (MHz) | ? | 24 MHz 33 MHz 36 MHz 47 MHz 50 MHz |
24 MHz 33 MHz 36 MHz 47 MHz 50 MHz |
? | ? | . |
| Channels (MHz) | 11700-12500 | 10700-10950 11200-11550 11700-12500 12500-12750 |
10700-12750MHz | ? | ? | . |
| Current Location | was to be 13°E | 13°E | 13°E | will be 13°E | will be 13°E | . |
| Possible Decommission Date | destroyed 11 / 11 / 2002 | 2020 | 2021 | 2023 | 2024 | . |
| Manufacturer / Spacecraft type | Astrium Eurostar 2000+ | Alcatel Spacebus-3000B3 | Astrium Eurostar-3000 |
Astrium Eurostar-3000 |
Astrium Eurostar-3000 |
. |
| Stabilisation type | 3-axis | 3-axis | 3-axis | 3-axis | 3-axis | . |
Notes
1 In July 1999 it was confirmed that Hotbird 5 has solar array problems which cause a loss of approximately 10% of output power. The solar panels, provided by Fokker, are said to be rapidly deteriorating. The same solar panels are causing problems on other satellites such as Nilesat 101. Hotbird 6 has been ordered to replace it, and as a result the satellite may be decommissioned before the expected End of Life date.
As of the end of September 2002, Hotbird 6 is in full service, and Hotbird 5 is out of service at 13°E, and is awaiting redeployment at another orbital slot.
Mid November 2002, Hotbird 5 was moved to 33°E, and renamed Eurobird 2. March 2003, it was moved again to 26E and renamed AGAIN, this time becoming Arabsat 2D. By early July 2006 she was being known as Eurobird 2 again.
2 Hotbird 3 is having problems. It was supposed to be replaced by Hotbird 7 once HB7 was commissioned towards the end of 2002. With the desstruction of HB7 she stayed in serviceuntil finally completed her mission at 13E when Hotbird 8 entered service September 2006. She moved to 10E mid October 2006 and was renamed to Eurobird 10 for her new mission. Is due to be replaced at 10E by Hotbird 7A once HB 10 is in service. Hotbird 3 suffered extensive damage on 3-4 October 2006 when she was coming out of eclipse. One of the solar arrays was damaged leading to severe power loss on the satellite :-( Hotbird 3 moved to 4E and redesignated Eurobrd 4 in March 2007.
3 Hotbird 7 and Stentor satellites lost after failure of Ariane flight V157 6 minutes into flight.
4 Hotbird 8 will have a 39m solar array span when the panels are fully extended!
5 Hottie 4 redesignated Nilesat 103 (then Atlantic Bird 4 early July 2006).
6 Hotbird 7A will move to 10E once Hotbird 10 is in service in 2009.
7 Hotbird 2 switched off 14/3/2007 after a power anomaly was noted. All traffic moved to Hotbird 8. Hotbird 2 redeployed to 9E May 2007 & renamed Eurobird 9.
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