Atlantic Bird 2 → Eutelsat 8 West A → Eutelsat 12 West B

Atlantic Bird 2 [GDK]

Alcatel Space has built Atlantic Bird 2 (26 channels in Ku Band for this Spacebus 3000 B2 Satellite) for Eutelsat. By meeting a rapid delivery schedule (16 month on ground delivery), which is made possible by an advanced production policy for the Spacebus-3000B2 platform, Alcatel Space has enabled Eutelsat to meet crucial back-up service requirements while expanding digital and multimedia services. In addition to the on-ground delivery of Atlantic Bird 2, Alcatel Space's prime contract with Eutelsat provides for the satellite's launch campaign, as well support for its operations and mission analysis.

In December 2011 Eutelsat announced, that their satellite assets will be renamed under a unified brand name effective from March 2012. This satellite became Eutelsat 8 West A. In 2015 it was moved to 12.5° West and named Eutelsat 12 West B.

It has been moved to a graveyard orbit above GEO in October 2020.

Nation: International
Type / Application: Communication
Operator: Eutelsat
Contractors: Alcatel Space
Equipment: 26 Ku Band transponders
Configuration: Spacebus-3000B2
Propulsion: S400
Power: 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Lifetime: 12+ years
Mass: 3600 kg
Orbit: GEO
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
Atlantic Bird 2 → Eutelsat 8 West A → Eutelsat 12 West B 2001-042A 25.09.2001 Ko ELA-2 Ariane-44P H10-3

Launch Sites:

  • Ko =   Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG), Kourou, French Guiana, France   France
Further Eutelsat Atlantic Bird missions:
Further Eutelsat missions:

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