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{{Short description|Communications satellite}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name              = Astra 1K
| names_list        = 
| image             = 
| image_caption     = 
| image_size        = 300px

| mission_type      = [[Communications satellite|Communications]]
| operator          = [[SES S.A.|Société Européenne des Satellites]] / [[SES S.A.]]
| COSPAR_ID         = 2002-053A
| SATCAT            = 27557
| website           = https://www.ses.com/
| mission_duration  = 15 years (planned)<br/>Failed on orbit ([[Blok DM-03|DM-03]] failure)

| spacecraft        = 
| spacecraft_type   = [[Spacebus]]
| spacecraft_bus    = [[Spacebus|Spacebus-3000B3S]]
| manufacturer      = [[Thales Alenia Space|Alcatel Space]]
| launch_mass       = {{cvt|5250|kg}}
| dry_mass          = 
| dimensions        = 
| power             = 13 [[Watt|kW]]

| launch_date       = 25 November 2002,<br/>23:04:23 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]
| launch_rocket     = [[Proton-K]] / [[Blok DM-03|DM-03]]
| launch_site       = [[Baikonur Cosmodrome|Baikonur]], [[Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81|Site 81/23]]
| launch_contractor = [[Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center]]

| entered_service    = Failed on orbit (DM-03 failure)
| disposal_type      = Deorbited
| decay_date         = 10 December 2002
| last_contact       = 

| orbit_reference   = [[Geocentric orbit]] <ref>{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt|title=Satellite Catalog|publisher=Jonathan's Space Report|access-date=9 April 2021}}</ref>
| orbit_regime      = [[Low Earth orbit]]<br/><small>[[Geostationary orbit]] (planned)</small>
| orbit_periapsis   = {{cvt|142|km}}
| orbit_apoapsis    = {{cvt|288|km}}
| orbit_inclination = 51.5°
| orbit_period      = 88.79 minutes
| orbit_longitude   = 19.2° East (planned)
| apsis             = gee

| trans_band        = 54 [[Transponder (satellite communications)|transponders]]:<br/>52 [[Ku band|Ku-band]]<br/>2 [[Ka band|Ka-band]]
| trans_frequency   = 
| trans_bandwidth   = 
| trans_capacity    = 
| trans_coverage    = [[Europe]]

| programme         = [[SES Astra|Astra constellation]]
| previous_mission  = [[Astra 3A]]
| next_mission      = [[Astra 1KR]]
}}

'''Astra 1K''' was a [[communications satellite]] manufactured by [[Alcatel Space]] for [[SES S.A.|SES]]. When it was launched on 25 November 2002, it was the largest civilian communications satellite ever launched, with a mass of {{cvt|5250|kg}}.<ref name="Proton-K">{{cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/p/proton-kdm-2m.html|title=Proton-K/DM-2M|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|date=2019|access-date=9 April 2021}}</ref> Intended to replace the [[Astra 1B]] satellite and provide backup for [[Astra 1A|1A]], [[Astra 1C|1C]] and [[Astra 1D|1D]] at the [[Astra 19.2°E]] orbital position,<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=SES ASTRA|date=February 11, 1998 |url=http://www.ses.com/4233325/news/1998/4426838|title=ASTRA 1K UNDER PROCUREMENT WITH AÉROSPATIALE|access-date=January 26, 2012}}</ref> the [[Blok DM-03]] upper stage of the [[Proton-K]] [[launch vehicle]] failed to function properly, leaving the satellite in an unusable parking orbit.

== Launch ==
Astra 1K was to be a European (Luxembourg-based) geostationary communications satellite that was launched by a [[Proton-K]] launch vehicle from [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] at 23:04:23 [[Coordinated Universal Time |UTC]] on 25 November 2002. However, the [[Blok DM-03|DM-03 upper stage]] attached to the {{cvt|5250|kg}}, 13 [[Watt|kW]] satellite (reported to be the most massive of civilian communications satellite, with its 52 [[Ku band|Ku-band]] and two [[Ka band|Ka-band]] transponders to cover 1,100 channels) was miscommanded to separate after the first burn, resulting in the satellite orbiting at a very low orbit. In an effort to prevent imminent re-entry, the satellite was raised to a circular orbit at an altitude of 288 km. Three options are now under consideration: a) to force its re-entry over the [[Pacific Ocean]], b) to retrieve it by a U.S. shuttle, and c) to use up all the fuel on board the satellite to move it to a geostationary orbit at 19.2° East longitude. The relative security provided by the orbit provides adequate time for selecting the best option.<ref name="Display">{{cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2002-053A|title=Display:Astra 1K 2002-053A|publisher=NASA|date=10 February 2021 |access-date=9 April 2021}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> Although some attempts were made to "rescue" the satellite.<ref name="SES1">{{cite web|url=http://www.ses.com/4233325/news/2002/4436301|title=ASTRA 1K satellite stabilised|publisher=SES|date=November 28, 2002|access-date=January 26, 2012}}</ref> The decision was taken in December 2002 to deorbit the satellite, resulting in a huge insurance loss and bringing into question both continued use of the [[Blok D|Block D]] series of upper stages and the "bigger is better" communications satellite philosophy.<ref name="Proton-K"/> Astra 1K was intentionally de-orbited on 10 December 2002.<ref name="Heavens Above">{{cite web|url=https://www.heavens-above.com/SatInfo.aspx?satid=27557&lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT|title=ASTRA 1K - Satellite Informations|access-date=9 April 2021}}</ref>

== Overview ==
The satellite featured frequency re-use for some of its transponders, using dual patterns coverage, one covering [[eastern Europe]], the other covering [[Spain]]. This design was meant to cover specific markets only, in order to expand the capacity of the fleet, as frequency re-use enables more channels to be transmitted simultaneously at the same frequency, with the drawback that channels broadcast on the Spain beam wouldn't be receivable by any means (no matter how large the receiving dish would be) in the east beam and vice versa. This would have left for example the [[Netherlands]] and parts of neighbouring countries without reception of either of the beams, as the beams overlap over those countries, efficiently jamming each other.

Astra 1K also featured multiple Ka-Band capabilities, originally intended to provide an upload path for [[satellite Internet access]] services. SES later developed such a 2-way commercial satellite internet service with [[SES Broadband|ASTRA2Connect]] (now Astra Connect), using Ku-band for upload and download paths.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=SES ASTRA|url=http://www.ses-astra.com/business/en/news-events/press-archive/1998/15-b-12-98/index.php|title=SES TO DEVELOP INTERACTIVE SATELLITE RETURN CHANNEL|date=15 December 1998}}</ref>

== Replacement satellite ==
A replacement satellite, [[Astra 1KR]] was successfully launched in 2006.<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=SES ASTRA|date=April 21, 2006|url=http://www.ses.com/4233325/news/2006/4429012|title=ASTRA 1KR SATELLITE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED|access-date=January 26, 2012}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
* [[SES S.A.|SES]]
* [[Astra (satellites)|Astra]]
* [[Astra 19.2°E]]
* [[Astra 1A]]
* [[Astra 1B]]
* [[Astra 1C]]
* [[Astra 1KR]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/astra-1k.htm  ''Astra 1K, Günter's Space page'']
* [http://www.onastra.com/16802073/astra-connect ''Astra Connect website'']

{{SES Astra}}
{{Orbital launches in 2002}}

[[:Category:Astra satellites]]
[[:Category:Spacecraft launched in 2002]]
[[:Category:Satellite launch failures]]
[[:Category:2002 in Luxembourg]]
[[:Category:Satellites of Luxembourg]]
[[:Category:Satellites using the Spacebus bus]]
[[:Category:2002 in Kazakhstan]]
[[:Category:Space accidents and incidents in Kazakhstan]]