I don't think the footprints are that configurable either - most have a fixed footprint shape, and the entire satellite needs to be reoriented to shift the footprint around. Very few have steerable footprints AFAIK. AMC-14 had an experimental phased array antenna, but it never made it into geo orbit.
In the medium to longer term, as the UK broadcasters have now committed to Freesat, surely there is an incentive for SES to roll out a 2D MkII with more HD capacity and as backup to 2D? |