Hotbird Satellite

We assume a large part of our communications infrastructure today. Satellites, for example, are extremely important in transmitting information across geographic boundaries. A satellite is defined simply as an object placed in orbit by man, and the idea of satellites launched into space surface in the late 1800s as a work of fiction by Edward Everett Hale. The jump from there to the idea that satellites could be used for mass communication was made by Arthur C Clarke. Yep, the writer of science fiction. The man has been nothing short of brilliant and considered how satellites could be launched, and how they should orbit the world to create a network that could be used for global communications.

Communication satellites are used for or COMSATS much more than simply routing channels. Among other things, COMSATS are useful to relay any type of communication to things such as ships, vehicles, aircraft and .... radio in many cases, using other technologies for communication would be impossible. For example, it would be impossible for a ship to be connected by wire to their communication, they rely heavily on satellites to send and receive voice and data communications.

The use of satellites to relay television signals was in 1962 when the signals from Europe have been relayed in North America using satellite Telstar. In 1965, the first commercial communication sotellite was launched. This is called Intelsat I and received the nickname of Early Bird, who was in service until 1969.

In Europe, two satellites cover most of the activity for television. These are the Astra and Hotbird. In the United Kingdom, the first commercial release was launched by Sky in 1989. British Satellite Broadcasting was launched in 1990, in competition with Sky. The two companies were in direct competition for one year until they merged in BSkyB, although it was actually a takeover of BSB with Sky.

Astra 2 satellite was launched in 1997 has facilitated the transition to digital TV from analog. The Astra 2 satellites are in an orbital position 28.2 degrees East and is the standard position that home users point their satellite receiver dishes to those days.