[Satellite Today 10-30-08] The Astra 1M satellite, built by Astrium for SES Astra, will be launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan during the night of Nov. 5-6, Astrium announced Oct. 30. The satellite will be launched on a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle provided by International Launch Services (ILS).
    The communications payload includes 36 Ku-band transponders and three deployable antennas that will deliver DTH services, including digital and high-definition television with pan-European coverage.
    Once positioned at 19.2 degrees East, it will be the second Eurostar satellite in the Astra fleet following Astra 2B, which was launched in September 2000.     Astrium is constructing two other Eurostar E3000 satellites for SES —Astra 3B, which is undergoing final assembly and testing, and Astra 1N, which was ordered in July.