Eutelsat is to initiate a new satellite programme that will significantly expand and diversify resources at its 9 degrees East location, which covers high-growth video markets across Europe.
A high-capacity KU-band satellite called Eutelsat 9B, which has been ordered from Astrium, will make its debut in the 9 degrees East slot at the end of 2014.
The 9 degrees East position has been operational since 2007 and is currently occupied by the Eurobird 9A satellite.
Broadcasting 320 channels, of which over 10% are in HD, it is one of Eutelsat’s fastest-growing neighbourhoods.
Eutelsat 9B will have 66 transponders, with one pan-European footprint delivering wide coverage for channels seeking maximum reach into satellite homes and to terrestrial headends.
Four focussed footprints will individually address high-growth digital TV markets in Italy, Germany, Greece and the Nordic/Baltic regions.
Eutelsat 9B has also been selected by Astrium Services to host the first data relay payload for the European Data Relay Satellite System (EDRS) being implemented through a public-private partnership between Astrium and ESA.
