DFS Kopernikus (meaning Deutscher Fernmeldesatellit Kopernikus) was the name of three geostationary satellites of Deutsche Bundespost and later Deutsche Telekom AG. They are no longer in use.

DFS Kopernicus-3

When DFS Kopernikus-3 was nearing the end of its life, SES sealed an agreement with Deutsche Telekom to use the 23.5° East position and frequencies, and in August 2001, Astra 1D was moved there.[1] The Astra 23.5°E position was officially opened in March 2002 with the launch and positioning of Astra 3A. Deutsche Telekom contracted for 10 transponders on that craft and shortly switched over all traffic from DFS Kopernikus-3.[2]

Station keeping

The orbital station-keeping manoeuvres of the satellites were conducted by the Flight Dynamics Group of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), German Space Operations Center, in Oberpfaffenhofen, Bavaria. The satellites were located at the following positions:

  • DFS Kopernikus-1: 23.5° East (1989-1994), later 33.5° East (1994-2002), replaced by Astra 3A[2]
  • DFS Kopernikus-2: 28.5° East (1994–2000?)
  • DFS Kopernikus-3: 23.5° East (1994–2003)

German satellite television market share in 1990

  • SES: ca. 80%
  • DFS Kopernikus: ca. 20%
  • TV-SAT 2: under 1%

See also

References

  1. ↑ "New position for ASTRA 1D" Archived 7 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine Advanced Television (21 August 2001) Retrieved on 17 April 2021
  2. 1 2 "ASTRA 3A fully operational at 23.5° East" (Press release). SES ASTRA. 30 May 2002. Retrieved 26 January 2012.


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