Eutelsat Sends HOTBIRD 13F Satellite to Orbit on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket

Eutelsat Hotbird13f just before launching on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 (Photo taken from livestream video still)

Eutelsat’s HOTBIRD 13F satellite has been successfully launched into orbit. The all-electric satellite was launched by SpaceX on Oct. 15 from Cape Canaveral. It is the first of two new satellites to be placed at Eutelsat’s flagship 13 degrees East position.

The satellite is one of two satellites built by Airbus Defence and Space for Eutelsat as part of a specific project. EUTELSAT HOTBIRD 13F is based on the Eurostar Neo telecommunications satellite platform, developed under a European Space Agency (ESA) Partnership Project with Airbus.

EUTELSAT HOTBIRD 13F, with its twin EUTELSAT HOTBIRD 13G, aims to reinforce and enhance the broadcast of more than a thousand television channels into homes across Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East. Moreover, the satellites will offer advanced features in terms of uplink signal protection and resilience.

“Our congratulations to the Eutelsat, Airbus and SpaceX teams for successfully launching our EUTELSAT HOTBIRD 13F satellite into geostationary orbit. This satellite brings the latest technology resources of the new Eurostar Neo platform at our leading 13-degree East position and confirms a long-term partnership between Airbus and Eutelsat,” Pascal Homsy, Eutelsat Chief Technical Officer, said in a statement.