Why did 2F launch before 2E?

[trigger]

I'm sure it's on the site somewhere.....
But
Why did Astra 2F get completed & launched before Astra 2E?

And if they completed one before the other (obviously) why not just call the first one 2E?

Thanks

 

[timo_w2s]

I'm not sure it's ever been publicly announced by SES. Perhaps they wanted to get the African transponders online first? (2E will have a Middle East beam)

 

[Analoguesat]

This is one of those questions thats never been satisfactorily answered - I did try asking SES direct but I got ignored.

Id guess the satellite bus (main chassis) gets the name designation and for some reason they decided to finish the second bus first

 

[trigger]

Thanks guys