Eutelsat 33C
| Company type | Satellite |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Predecessor | Eurobird 1, Eutelsat 28A, Eutelsat 33C |
| Founded | March 2001 |
| Products | Digital television and data transmission services via Ku band transponders |
| Owner | Eutelsat |
Eutelsat 133 West A—previously known as Eurobird 1, Eutelsat 28A, and Eutelsat 33C—is a satellite managed by Eutelsat within the Eurobird series, primarily dedicated to serving the digital television sector. It was launched in March 2001 and initially operated at the orbital position of 33°E. Subsequently, it was relocated to 28.5°E to operate alongside Eutelsat 2F4 within the geostationary Clarke Belt, positioned close to the SES Astra 2 satellites located at 28.2° east. In July 2015, the satellite shifted back to 33° east, sharing the slot with Eutelsat 33B, before its final move to 133° west.
Operations
This satellite is equipped with three distinct beams: one fixed beam that spans nearly all of Europe and north-west Africa, and two steerable beams named "S1" and "S2." The "S1" beam overlaps with the fixed beam but is confined to Europe, whereas "S2" concentrates on central Europe, carrying multiple transponders tailored for satellite news gathering applications.
It carries a total of 36 Ku band transponders, comprising 24 active units and 12 backups. Half of these transponders provide an extended bandwidth of 72 MHz and can be reconfigured into several virtual transponders. Each transponder operates with a fixed polarity and commonly supports between two to six virtual transponders, thereby offering enhanced adaptability for broadcasting and data transmission services.
History
Initially stationed at 28.5°E, the satellite delivered both analogue and digital television as well as radio transmissions across Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and neighboring areas. Numerous services migrated from Kopernikus 2, which had been operating at this position since 1990. Over time, however, viewership transitioned towards more conventional orbital locations—19.2°E for Austria and 23.5°E for Czechia and Slovakia—resulting in decreased utilization of this satellite.
On 1 March 2012, the satellite was rebranded from Eurobird 1 to Eutelsat 28A.
After experiencing power failures in August 2012, Eutelsat repositioned Eutelsat 48B to 28.5°E to ensure uninterrupted service.
In January 2014, SES and Eutelsat reached an agreement whereby SES assumed full control over the spectrum at 28.5°E. Under this arrangement, Eutelsat leased eight transponders while marketing twelve transponders from the Astra 2 fleet. The final active transponders from Eutelsat 28A were migrated to Astra 2E on 29 June 2015. Following this transition, the satellite was moved to the 33°E orbital slot and renamed Eutelsat 33C on 3 July 2015 before its subsequent relocation to 133°W as Eutelsat 133 West A.
See also
- Astra 28.2°E
- List of satellites in geosynchronous orbit
- Eutelsat satellite operator
- Astra satellite family