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Hotbird 2, 3, 4, 5 / Eurobird 2, 9→4, 10, 16 / Atlantic Bird 4 / Eutelsat W48, W75 / Eutelsat 4B, 16B, 25A, 48A / Arabsat 2D → Badr 2 / Nilesat 103 / ABS 1B

Hotbird 2 [Astrium]

In late 1993 EUTELSAT sought bids for a more capable spacecraft dubbed Hotbird Plus. In early 1994, Matra Marconi was awarded the contract for a single spacecraft, Hotbird 2, with options for up to three more. By the end of 1994 the first option had been exercised for Hotbird 3. The new spacecraft were launched in 1996 and 1997 and were based on the Eurostar-2000+ design developed jointly by British Aerospace and Matra Marconi. The nearly 3-metric-ton Hotbird Plus carries 20 high power (110 W) Ku-band transponders to permit direct-to-home television broadcast service to Europe via a Superbeam antenna and broader coverage with a Widebeam antenna. An enlarged solar array will generate the 5.5 kW required by the spacecraft and its power-hungry payload. The new Hotbird Plus spacecraft were co-located with Hot Bird 1 at 13 degrees E. Two more spacecraft called Hot Bird 4 and Hot Bird 5 were also contracted with British Aerospace and Matra Marconi.

The solar arrays of Hot Bird 5 are suffering from abnormal degradation which is believed to have caused a loss in output power of more than 10 percent. Hot Bird 5 was renamed as Eurobird 2 and finally Arabsat 2D. Hot Bird 4 was renamed Nilesat 103, when it was leased to Nilesat in September 2005. In June 2006 it returned to use by Eutelsat as Atlantic Bird 4. Hot Bird 3 was renamed Eurobird 10 in October 2006, Eurobird 4 in February 2009 and Eutelsat W75 in late 2009. Hot Bird 2 was renamed Eurobird 9 in May 2007 and Eutelsat W48 in late 2009.

In December 2011 Eutelsat announced, that their satellite assets were renamed under a unified brand name effective from March 2012. W48 became Eutelsat 48A, Eurobird 2 became Eutelsat 25A and Eurobird 16 became Eutelsat 16B.

Eutelsat 16B (Hotbird 4) was retired in 2015 and was moved into a graveyard orbit above the geostationary belt.

Eutelsat 48A (Hotbird 2) was retired in May 2017 after more than 20 years of service and was moved into a graveyard orbit above the geostationary belt.

Nation: International
Type / Application: Communication (Direct Broadcasting)
Operator: Eutelsat
Contractors: British Aerospace and Matra Marconi → Astrium
Equipment: 20 Ku-band transponders
Configuration: Eurostar-2000+
Propulsion: R-4D-11-300
Power: 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Lifetime:
Mass: 2900 kg (#2, 3, 4), 3000 kg (#5)
Orbit: GEO
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
Hotbird 2 → Eurobird 9 → Eutelsat W48 → Eutelsat 48A 1996-067A 21.11.1996 CC LC-36A Atlas-2A
Hotbird 3 → Eurobird 10 → Eurobird 4 → Eutelsat W75/ABS 1B 1997-049A 02.09.1997 Ko ELA-2 Ariane-44LP H10-3 with Meteosat 7
Hotbird 4 → Nilesat 103 → Atlantic Bird 4 → Eurobird 16 → Eutelsat 16B 1998-013A 27.02.1998 Ko ELA-2 Ariane-42P H10-3
Hotbird 5 → Eurobird 2 → Arabsat 2D → Badr 2 → Eutelsat 25A → Eutelsat 4B 1998-057A 09.10.1998 CC SLC-36B Atlas-2A

References:

Further Hotbird missions:
Further Eutelsat Eurobird missions:
Further Eutelsat Atlantic Bird missions:
Further Eutelsat W missions:
Further Eutelsat missions:
Further Arabsat missions:
Further Badr missions:
Further Nilesat missions:
Further LMI / ABS missions:

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