Tags: Artificialsatellite, Satellite.
Astra 2A is one of the Astra communications satellites owned by SES. Launched in 1998 into the 28.2E orbital position half its expected end-of-life capacity of 28 transponders were pre-booked by BSkyB who utilised it to launch their new Sky Digital service. As of 2006 21 transponders were active including two active but unused; as of September 2013 22 transponders are active.