Astra 2A transponder moves (was Astra 2E: Iberia & Balearics Reports)

[timo_w2s]

Still no sign of any other transponder moves off 2A. I'll keep checking every morning but I won't keep posting it here unless I see something change.

 

[hvdh]

A strange TLE again, that shows Astra 2A moving 0.8°E per day.
Now would be near 30.7°E.

For now I'll assume it's an error?
No sign of planned move on the SES ephemeris or center-of-box pages.
The SES fleet page however says 2A is to be relocated.

 

[solly]

astra 2a end of this life
it waiting 2g operation soon

 

[Analoguesat]

2G is MONTHS away from operations at 28E yet!

 

[hvdh]

For now, I think this TLE is an error. I can see data of previous TLE's a few days before, and this jump beyond 30°E is a little too big.
And when moving east, it won't mean going to graveyard orbit!
When 2A leaves 28.2°E, it's probably still fit for some years in inclined orbit.

 

[timo_w2s]

2A still very obviously working well at 28.2E right now so I also assume it's an error. 2A has a very obvious signal pastern here in Finland with the north/south beams so it's easy to tell if it was switched off or moving away.

 

[skomedal]

For now, I think this TLE is an error. I can see data of previous TLE's a few days before, and this jump beyond 30°E is a little too big.
And when moving east, it won't mean going to graveyard orbit!
When 2A leaves 28.2°E, it's probably still fit for some years in inclined orbit.

Would help if you could/would provide links/sources to your postings to keep members updated.

My postings nearly always refer to a link/source that I gleaned it from, if case sensitive I have contacted forum mods. to obtain clearance to post that link/source.

Regards

 

[cazhh]

https://extranet.ses.com/18728984/ephemeris?sat=ASTRA+2A

That's the TLE provided by SES. Still at 28.2 as it should be. I hope i can trust them more than the others.

 

[hvdh]

Skomedal please don't complain, it's not possible to simply mention a link for you to verify such things!
In fact on several occasions I advised those interested, not to only lookup some satellite in n2yo, but go further by installing software to better interpret the TLE's.

Some like Orbitron, I tried it as well and it looked sleek, but for my needs the old Gorbtrack is perfectly fine.
Also, my satellite table is based on Gorbtrack's table format, so can use Gorbtrack conveniently to maintain that table as well.

Then there is also a BIG software installation called STK (Systems Tool Kit), that I occasionally use to produce graphs based on historical data. For example, to determine the location a satellite is centered at.

See attached graph. The little notches is when a TLE is updated. In the early morning of Sun 4, Astra 2A was still stable. That can not be possible if drifting now with 0.8° per day, 2A should have been on its way already, then.

 

[cazhh]

Ha. I have the notches as well. I've written a perl script to interpret the SES TLE files and plot the results.

Attached the last two weeks for 2F as an example.

 

[timo_w2s]

Looks like Astra 2A is "back" where it should be.
http://www.n2yo.com/?s=25462

 

[battenfan]

12480V is stronger again, isn't it?

 

[timo_w2s]

12480V is stronger again, isn't it?

Looks pretty much the same as before here in Helsinki, one of the weakest European beam transponders on the 1.8m by far (currently 4dB, with breakup if it goes much below 3.5dB so not much room for rain fade).

 

[battenfan]

Yes, I spoke too soon. I haven't been able to watch Kerrang since November without breaking up but Friday was all clear. Maybe I was just lucky with favorable weather conditions - dry and cold.

 

[timo_w2s]

Yes, I spoke too soon. I haven't been able to watch Kerrang since November without breaking up but Friday was all clear. Maybe I was just lucky with favorable weather conditions - dry and cold.

What size dish is it?

 

[battenfan]

What size dish is it?

120 cm pf

 

[Llew]

Just to confirm, 2A beacons still at 28.2.