Tag: Rocket Failure

Astra 2E Launch Confirmed

The Russian company launching the communications satellites from Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan, has completed its investigations into the latest rocket failure  and will now proceed with the schedule. Prime Minister Medvelev recently spoke about the series of mishaps resulting in 10 satellites being lost in 7 launches from the Kazahk base.

Astra 2E (BBC and ITV Channels )

The next mission will be the ILS Proton rocket launch of the Astra 2E satellite for SES, scheduled for 15th September this year. When this goes into service later in the year, the expected big changes for the English Ex Pat communities around Spain will come into effect. The tightening of the satellite footprint to just the Uk territory will mean the Spanish will lose all BBC and ITV channels, unless even larger dishes are employed to boost the signal.

 

Information from the ILS Launch website

Rocket Crash delays Uk channel restrictions

Yesterdays spectacular rocket failure in Russia will delay the launch of the new satellite carrying Astra 2E. This is the satellite which will replace Astra 1N, which currently delivers the main BBC/ITV  Uk channels as far south as Spain and all over europe. This has not been an event to look forward to, as the thousands of Uk expats living in Spain were to lose their Uk tv with the deployment of this new satellite.

rocket

All over Europe, broadcasts are being restricted, either by sales of cards or equipment or by technical means, using spot beams to make the satellite footprint only cover the country of origin. Is this really what we want, In a supposedly more open Europe?

PLEASE NOTE: THIS DOES NOT AFFECT ANYONE IN THE UK, ONLY British citizens in Spain watching the main Uk channels by satellite. The projected deployment of August this year, will now be   delayed.

After the satellites are changed over , expats will still be able to watch Uk tv via internet, with a suitable IP box