DFS Kopernikus (meaning ''Deutscher Fernmeldesatellit Kopernikus'') was the name of three
geostationary satellite
A geostationary orbit, also referred to as a geosynchronous equatorial orbit''Geostationary orbit'' and ''Geosynchronous (equatorial) orbit'' are used somewhat interchangeably in sources. (GEO), is a circular geosynchronous orbit in altitude ...
s of
Deutsche Bundespost
The Deutsche Bundespost (German federal post office) was a German state-run postal service and telecommunications business founded in 1947. It was initially the second largest federal employer during its time. After staff reductions in the 198 ...
and later
Deutsche Telekom AG
Deutsche Telekom AG (; short form often just Telekom, DTAG or DT; stylised as ·T·) is a German telecommunications company that is headquartered in Bonn and is the largest telecommunications provider in Europe by revenue. Deutsche Telekom was ...
. They are no longer in use.
DFS Kopernicus-3
When DFS Kopernikus-3 was nearing the end of its life,
SES
SES, S.E.S., Ses and similar variants can refere to:
Business and economics
* Socioeconomic status
* Scottish Economic Society, a learned society in Scotland
* SES, callsign of the TV station SES/RTS (Mount Gambier, South Australia)
* SES S.A., ...
sealed an agreement with Deutsche Telekom to use the 23.5° East position and frequencies, and in August 2001,
Astra 1D was moved there.
["New position for ASTRA 1D"](_blank)
''Advanced Television'' (21 August 2001) Retrieved on 17 April 2021 The
Astra 23.5°E
Astra 23.5°E is a group of Astra (satellite), Astra communications satellites co-located at the 23.5° east position in the Clarke Belt owned and operated by SES S.A., SES based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg. 23.5° east is one of the major TV satellite ...
position was officially opened in March 2002 with the launch and positioning of
Astra 3A
Astra 3A is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by Société Européenne des Satellites, launched in March 2002 to the Astra 23.5°E orbital position to provide digital television and radio for direct to home (DTH) an ...
. Deutsche Telekom contracted for 10 transponders on that craft and shortly switched over all traffic from
DFS Kopernikus-3
DFS Kopernikus-3 (or Deutscher Fernmelde Satellit-3 and Hellas Sat 1) was a communications satellite operated by Deutsche Telekom.
Satellite description
The DFS Kopernikus series of satellites debuted in 1989 with the third being launched in ...
.
Station keeping
The orbital station-keeping manoeuvres of the satellites were conducted by the Flight Dynamics Group of the
German Aerospace Center
The German Aerospace Center (german: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., abbreviated DLR, literally ''German Center for Air- and Space-flight'') is the national center for aerospace, energy and transportation research of Germany ...
(DLR), German Space Operations Center, in
Oberpfaffenhofen
Oberpfaffenhofen is a village that is part of the municipality of Weßling in the district of Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany. It is located about from the city center of Munich.
Village
The village is home to the Oberpfaffenhofen Airport and a m ...
,
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
. The satellites were located at the following positions:
* DFS Kopernikus-1: 23.5° East (1989-1994), later 33.5° East (1994-2002), replaced by
Astra 3A
Astra 3A is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by Société Européenne des Satellites, launched in March 2002 to the Astra 23.5°E orbital position to provide digital television and radio for direct to home (DTH) an ...
* DFS Kopernikus-2: 28.5° East (1994–2000?)
*
DFS Kopernikus-3
DFS Kopernikus-3 (or Deutscher Fernmelde Satellit-3 and Hellas Sat 1) was a communications satellite operated by Deutsche Telekom.
Satellite description
The DFS Kopernikus series of satellites debuted in 1989 with the third being launched in ...
: 23.5° East (1994–2003)
German satellite television market share in 1990
*
SES
SES, S.E.S., Ses and similar variants can refere to:
Business and economics
* Socioeconomic status
* Scottish Economic Society, a learned society in Scotland
* SES, callsign of the TV station SES/RTS (Mount Gambier, South Australia)
* SES S.A., ...
: ca. 80%
* DFS Kopernikus: ca. 20%
*
TV-SAT 2
TV-SAT 2 or TVSAT-2 was a West German communications satellite which was to have been operated by Deutsche Bundespost. It was intended to be used to provide television broadcast services to Europe. It was constructed by Aérospatiale, based on t ...
: under 1%
See also
*
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus (; pl, Mikołaj Kopernik; gml, Niklas Koppernigk, german: Nikolaus Kopernikus; 19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic Church, Catholic cano ...
*
Astra 23.5°E
Astra 23.5°E is a group of Astra (satellite), Astra communications satellites co-located at the 23.5° east position in the Clarke Belt owned and operated by SES S.A., SES based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg. 23.5° east is one of the major TV satellite ...
*
Astra 3A
Astra 3A is one of the Astra communications satellites owned and operated by Société Européenne des Satellites, launched in March 2002 to the Astra 23.5°E orbital position to provide digital television and radio for direct to home (DTH) an ...
References
External links
DFS Kopernikus in GSOCSES fleet information and mapOfficial Astra consumers/viewers' websiteOfficial SES trade/industry site
Kopernikus
Deutsche Telekom
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