Hotbird 5 --> Eurobird 2 --> Arabsat 2D
--> Badr 2

EUTELSAT --> Saudi Arabia

International Sat. n°:

EUTELSAT spacecraft n°: 16

Launch data:

Designation: 25495 / 98057A
Launch date09 Oct 1998
Launch site CC, LC-36B
Launch vehicle:Atlas-2A (AC-134 #117)
Mission:Commercial: Communications
Geostationary orbit:
Perigee / Apogee 35771 x 35799 km
Eccentricity 3,32E-04
Inclination 0.06 deg
Period 1436.05 min

In Jul 1999 it is announced that the satellite has solar array problems which cause a loss of approx 10% of output power. This is related to problems with Fokker solar arrays provided with the Eurostar-2000+ platform. A shutdown of 4 transponders is expected sooner than later. In Sep 1999 Hotbird 6 was announced to replace it.

Specifications:

Prime contractorMatra Marconi Space --> Astrium
PlatformEurostar-2000+
OperatorEUTELSAT
Mass at launch2995 kg
Dry mass 1700 kg
Dimension  
Solar array 2 deployable solar arrays
Stabilization3-axis
Equipment20 Ku-band transponders
DC power5500 W
Design lifetime12 yrs - still active

Location:

DatePositionRemarks
   13°E 
 July 2010  25.59° E 

tested at 2°E
Equipped with Fokker-made solar arrays which might have a defect.
Beacon: 11.701000 GHz

Ku-band:

Main transponders 22
Backup transponders  
Power 130 W
Bandwidth 12 transponders of 33 MHz
8 transponders of 36 MHz
2 transponders of 72 MHz
Coverage  
EIRP max superbeam: 53 dBW
widebeam: 50 dBW
Polarization linear H/V
Frequencies Downlink: 10.95-11.2 (10 tps), 11.55-11.7 (7 tps) & 12.5-12.6 (5 tps) GHz

Has 3 Skyplex units (such units were also on Hotbird 4) capable of assembling upto 8 streams as small as 1350 kbps.

Transponder frequency chart (GHz)

Horizontal
Uplink 		Horizontal
Downlink 		Transponder Vertical
Downlink 		Vertical
Uplink 		Bandwidth (MHz) Remarks
  10.97141 123   14.25066 36  
14.27141   124 10.99216   36  
  11.01291 125   14.29216 36  
14.31291   126 11.03366   36  
  11.05441 127   14.33366 36  
14.35441   128 11.07516   36  
  11.09591 129   14.37516 36  
14.39591   130 11.11666   36  
  11.15833 131   14.43758 72  
14.45833   132 11.17908   72  
             
  11.56574 153   14.01918 33  
14.03836   154 11.58492   33  
  11.60410 155   14.05754 33  
14.07672   156 11.62328   33  
  11.64246 157   14.09590 33  
14.11508   158 11.66164   33  
  11.68082 159   14.13426 33  
             
14.15344   90 12.51984   33 Skyplex
  12.53902 91   14.17262 33 Skyplex
14.19180   92 12.55820   33 Skyplex
  12.57738 93   14.21098 33  
14.23016   94 12.59656   33  

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.
Ref: #14, #15, #226 - update: 02.11.10