Astra 1B & Meteosat 5
Ariane 44LP
Arianespace
Mission
Astra 1B & Meteosat 5
Type: Communications
Astra 1B was the second of the Astra communications satellites launched and operated by SES (Société Européenne des Satellites). It was believed to have been launched in a faulty condition, and suffered a thruster failure early in its life, causing minor drift, meaning that it became permanently difficult to obtain a steady lock on the satellite. This was most notable on analogue transmissions where the picture would move from clear to carrying sparklies and back again.
Trajectory
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Location
Ariane Launch Area 2
Kourou, French Guiana
320 rockets have launched from Kourou, French Guiana.

Agency
Arianespace – ASA
- Type: Commercial
- Abbreviation: ASA
- Administration: CEO: Stéphane Israël
- Founded: 1980
- Launchers: Ariane | Vega
- Country: FRA
Arianespace SA is a multinational company founded in 1980 as the world’s first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane programme. Their vehicles launch exclusively from French Guiana in South America.