SES Astra

SES Astra SA was a corporate subsidiary of SES, based in Betzdorf, in eastern Luxembourg, that maintained and operated the Astra series of geostationary communication satellites between 2001 and 2011.

Formed in 1985 as Société Européenne des Satellites (SES), it was Europe's first private satellite operator. When SES acquired GE Americom in 2001 and was renamed SES Global (reverting to SES in 2006), the portion of the company responsible for the Astra satellites became a subsidiary named SES Astra. In September 2011, SES Astra and sister subsidiary SES World Skies were merged back into SES S.A. for the company to operate with a single management system, and subsidiaries of SES Astra, such as HD Plus and ASTRA Broadband Services became direct subsidiaries of SES. The brand name, Astra, representing the satellite family and the broadcasting system continues to be used and, although the corporate website (www.ses-astra.com) was closed when SES Astra was consolidated into the parent, the consumer site (www.OnAstra.com) remains in operation.

Astra (satellite)

Astra is the brand name for a number of geostationary communication satellites, both individually and as a group, which are owned and operated by SES S.A., a global satellite operator based in Betzdorf, in eastern Luxembourg. The name is also used to describe the pan-European broadcasting system provided by these satellites, the channels carried on them, and even the reception equipment.

From the launch of Astra 1A in 1988 the Astra satellites were owned and operated by Société Européenne des Satellites (SES). In 2001 SES Astra, a newly formed subsidiary of SES, operated the Astra satellites and in September 2011, SES Astra was consolidated back into the parent company.

Astra satellites broadcast nearly 2,400 digital television and radio channels via five main satellite orbital positions to households across Europe and North Africa. The satellites have been instrumental in the establishment of satellite TV and the introduction of digital TV, HDTV, 3D TV, and HbbTV in Europe.