The complicated history of Eutelsat W1.
The satellite at 10°E designated Eutelsat W1 isnt the original satellite planned for this location. In fact its the third one!
In May 1998, W1 (a Spacebus-3000B2 type satellite) was being built at the Aerospatiale factory in Cannes France. An accident in the construction bay during testing of the satellite payload wrecked it.... It appears that one of the antennas was being tested at full power. Because of the high RF power being produced, foam on a nearby wall overheated and caught fire, which set off the sprinkler system.
The satellite was covered in water and severely damaged, (and has become unofficially known as "The Wet One") :-) As the satellite was no longer fit for its mission, construction of the replacement W1R was authorised, and the damaged one passed to the insurance company in a $50 million claim. W1R was also an Aerospatiale Spacebus 3000.
A ground based spare was also commissioned - this one was known as Ressat, and was a Matra Marconi / Astrium Eurostar 2000+.
During construction, Eutelsat had a change of priorities, and the spacecraft missions were changed:
W1R was renamed Eurobird, and plans were made to send it to 28.5°E. It launched from Kourou on 6th September 2000.
Ressat was promoted from ground based spare to W1, and sent off to 10°E. This one was safely launched from Kourou 8th March 2001.
As for poor old Wet One, it has a happy ending. The satellite was sent for refurbishment by the insurance company and once it had been rebuilt was put into store awaiting a buyer. At the beginning of April 2002, it was announced that Eutelsat had bought the spacecraft back, and it had been renamed Eutelsat W5. Launch is planned for late 2002. In July 2002, it was announced that W5 will be located at 70.5°E.
Update 29th March 2003: Eutelsat W5 was safely launched on 20 November 2002, and is now in service at 70.5E.
W1 (original) -> damaged -> refurbished -> Eutelsat W5 -> located at 70.5°E
W1R -> Eurobird -> located at 28.5°E
Ressat (ground based spare) -> Eutelsat W1 -> located at 10°E
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