Eutelsat 3D Communication Satellite

Eutelsat 3D is manufactured by Thales Alenia Space. Image courtesy of Eutelsat Communications.

Eutelsat 3D was transported to Baikonur Cosmodrome in April 2013. Image courtesy of Eutelsat Communications.

The satellite was launched from the Spacebus 4000C4 platform. Image courtesy of Eutelsat Communications.

Eutelsat 3D satellite was launched atop Proton Breeze M rocket. Image courtesy of Eutelsat Communications.

Eutelsat 3D was successfully launched on 14 May 2013. Image courtesy of Eutelsat Communications.

The Eutelsat 3D satellite is a communication satellite manufactured by Thales Alenia Space for Eutelsat Communications. It was launched into geostationary transfer orbit from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on 14 May 2013. The satellite was launched on the Proton Breeze M vehicle supplied by International Launch Services (ILS).

The satellite will provide services to customers across North America, Europe, the Middle East, central Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. It will initially be placed at three degrees east longitude. It will provide services to high growth markets such as video, data, telecom and broadband.

Eutelsat 3D is expected to be replaced by the Eutelsat 3B satellite in 2014. Eutelsat 3B will be placed at seven degrees east longitude to provide spectrum growth and high levels of operational flexibility in C, Ku and Ka bands.

Satellite design and Spacebus 4000C4 platform

The contract for design and manufacturing of Eutelsat 3D satellite was awarded to Thales Alenia Space. The satellite has a launch mass of about 5,470kg. It has a design lifespan of about 15 years. The satellite was transported to Baikonur Cosmodrome in April 2013.

The satellite was launched using the Spacebus 4000C4 platform manufactured by Thales Alenia Space, at Cannes Mandelieu Space Center in France. The satellite bus features upgraded avionics.

Spacebus 4000 is a medium-class satellite bus with a launch mass raging between 3,000kg for the B2 version and 5,900kg for the C4 version. It can accommodate different payloads, such as Ku, C, Ka, X, S, L bands. It provides solar power capabilities up to 15.8kW.

Eutelsat 3D communication capabilities

The satellite has a total of 56 Ku and Ka band transponders. It has three coverage zones, which include the high-power Ku-band that covers central Europe and Turkey for providing Direct-to-Home (DTH) services, Ku-band beam with coverage across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East up to central Asia for providing video links and data networks, and Ku-band coverage over Sub-Saharan Africa and Indian Ocean islands for providing regional telecommunications and internet services.

Launch vehicle for the French comms satellite

Eutelsat 3D satellite was lifted off using the Proton Breeze M rocket on 14 May 2013. The rocket was manufactured by Khrunichev. International Launch Services (ILS) is providing the launch services for the satellite.

The rocket launch consisted of three stages. Six RD-276 engines were in the first stage. The second stage was powered by three RD-0210 engines, while the third stage was powered by one RD-0213 engine.

The rocket has five engine firings in the upper stage. The separation of the satellite took place in nine hours 13 minutes after liftoff. The first stage used about 419.4t of propellants for the lift off, the second stage used 156.1t of propellants and the third stage used about 46.5t of propellants.

The Proton booster which was used for launching the satellite has 7.4m diameter in the first stage and 4.1m diameter in second and third stages. The height of the booster in the three stages was 42.3m.

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