# Astra 3B

> communications satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q750287](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q750287)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astra_3B)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/astra-3b

## Summary
Astra 3B is a communications satellite designed for telecommunications. Launched on May 21, 2010, it operates in geostationary orbit and was deployed using an Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Communications satellite (artificial satellite designed for telecommunications).
- **Launch Date:** May 21, 2010.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Ariane 5 ECA (European launch vehicle).
- **Launch Site:** ELA-3.
- **Orbit:** Geostationary orbit.
- **COSPAR ID:** 2010-021A.
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 36581.
- **Wikipedia Title:** Astra 3B.

## FAQs
### Q: When was Astra 3B launched?
A: Astra 3B was launched on May 21, 2010.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Astra 3B?
A: The satellite was launched aboard an Ariane 5 ECA, a European launch vehicle, from the ELA-3 launch complex.

### Q: What is the primary function of Astra 3B?
A: Astra 3B is a communications satellite designed specifically for telecommunications purposes.

## Why It Matters
Astra 3B represents a specific class of geostationary satellites essential for modern telecommunications infrastructure. As an artificial satellite, it plays a role in relaying signals across the globe, contributing to the network of hardware that supports data and broadcast services. Its deployment marks a specific technical achievement in the timeline of space infrastructure; launching a satellite into geostationary orbit requires precise orbital insertion, which in this instance was entrusted to the Ariane 5 ECA heavy-lift vehicle. The existence of such entities highlights the ongoing reliance on space-based assets for terrestrial communication needs. The satellite's identification via specific international codes (COSPAR ID 2010-021A) and catalog numbers (SCN 36581) underscores the rigorous tracking and management required for objects in Earth's orbit to prevent collisions and ensure operational integrity.

## Notable For
- Being an artificial satellite specifically classified for telecommunications use.
- Its deployment via the Ariane 5 ECA, a prominent European launch vehicle.
- Occupying a geostationary orbit, which allows it to maintain a fixed position relative to the Earth's surface.
- Being tracked under the international COSPAR designation 2010-021A.

## Body

### Mission and Classification
Astra 3B is an artificial satellite classified as a communications satellite. Its primary designated function is telecommunications. It operates as a satellite of the Earth, specifically positioned within a geostationary orbit.

### Launch Specifications
The satellite was successfully launched on May 21, 2010. The launch event took place at the ELA-3 (Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 3) launch complex. The launch vehicle utilized was the Ariane 5 ECA, a heavy-lift rocket described as a European launch vehicle.

### Technical Identifiers
Astra 3B is tracked and identified through several international registries and databases:
- **COSPAR ID:** 2010-021A
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 36581
- **Freebase ID:** /m/0c02k24
- **Wolfram Language Entity Code:** Entity["Satellite", "36581"]

### Academic and Wiki Data
The entity is documented across multiple languages on Wikipedia, including Czech (cs), German (de), English (en), Hungarian (hu), Portuguese (pt), and Ukrainian (uk). Its data has been sourced and referenced from academic and encyclopedic databases, including Wikidata and Freebase.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report