# Eurostar

> family of European satellite buses

**Wikidata**: [Q3060865](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3060865)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurostar_(satellite_bus))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/eurostar

## Summary
Eurostar is a family of European satellite buses originating from France, designed to serve as the standardized infrastructure or "service module" for spacecraft. Manufactured primarily by Airbus Defence and Space and its predecessor entities, it provides the essential chassis for satellites, accommodating various payloads for missions such as telecommunications and Earth observation. The family encompasses multiple distinct series and models, including the Eurostar E3000, Eurostar-Neo, and OneSat.

## Key Facts
*   **Classification**: Instance of a "spacecraft family" and a subclass of "spacecraft bus."
*   **Origin**: Country of origin is France.
*   **Manufacturer**: The family is primarily manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space. Specific series have historical or specific ties to Astrium (E1000, E3000) and Matra Marconi Space / Space Systems (E2000).
*   **Aliases**: Eurostar 3000, Eurostar E3000, Eurostar-3000.
*   **Constituent Models**:
    *   **Eurostar E1000**: Model of satellite bus manufactured by Astrium.
    *   **Eurostar E2000**: Series of satellite bus manufactured by Matra Marconi Space and Space Systems.
    *   **Eurostar E3000**: Series of satellite bus manufactured by Astrium.
    *   **Eurostar-Neo**: Model of geostationary communications satellite bus based on the E3000.
    *   **OneSat**: Model of satellite bus, classified as a subclass of the Eurostar family.
*   **Digital Identifiers**: Freebase ID `/m/0b768lx`; Google Knowledge Graph ID `/g/11j8pp3hf_` (for OneSat).
*   **Wikipedia Presence**: The main article is available in 7 languages (be, de, en, fr, ja, pt, ru). The specific "Eurostar E3000" series has a sitelink count of 5 (de, en, gl, ja, pt).
*   **Function**: Acts as the general model for multiple-production spacecraft, providing locations for payloads and handling core operations like power and propulsion.

## FAQs
**What distinguishes the different models within the Eurostar family?**
The family includes several models with different manufacturers and specifications: the **E1000** and **E3000** were developed by Astrium, the **E2000** by Matra Marconi Space and Space Systems, and the modern **Eurostar-Neo** and **OneSat** by Airbus Defence and Space.

**What is the function of a Eurostar satellite bus?**
As a spacecraft bus, Eurostar serves as the service module section of a satellite. It provides the foundational infrastructure—such as power, propulsion, and thermal control—allowing mission-specific payloads (like communication instruments) to be integrated into a standardized chassis.

**Who manufactures the Eurostar satellite buses?**
While the family is broadly attributed to **Airbus Defence and Space**, specific series were manufactured by legacy entities: **Astrium** produced the E1000 and E3000 series, while **Matra Marconi Space and Space Systems** produced the E2000 series.

**What is the Eurostar-Neo?**
The Eurostar-Neo is a model of geostationary communications satellite bus developed by Airbus Defence and Space. It is an evolution based on the Eurostar E3000 platform, designed for advanced telecommunications applications.

## Why It Matters
The Eurostar family matters as a cornerstone of European space infrastructure, representing a lineage of reliable, standardized platforms that reduce the cost and complexity of satellite manufacturing. By separating the spacecraft bus (the "chassis") from the payload, Eurostar allows manufacturers like Airbus Defence and Space to produce multiple satellites efficiently while allowing operators to customize mission-specific instruments. Its evolution from early models like the E2000 to advanced platforms like the fully reconfigurable OneSat demonstrates the continuous adaptation of European technology to meet modern geostationary and telecommunications demands.

## Notable For
*   **European Heritage**: Being a distinct family of satellite buses originating in France, supporting European sovereignty in space technology.
*   **Lineage of Manufacturers**: representing the consolidation of the aerospace industry, with models produced by Matra Marconi Space, Astrium, and currently Airbus Defence and Space.
*   **Modularity**: Exemplifying the "spacecraft bus" concept where a standardized service module supports diverse payloads.
*   **Advanced Telecommunications**: Providing the platform for high-capacity geostationary communications via models like the Eurostar-Neo and OneSat.
*   **Global Recognition**: maintaining a presence across multiple Wikipedia languages (7 for the family, 5 for the E3000 series) and structured knowledge graphs.

## Body

### Definition and Classification
The **Eurostar** is defined as a family of European satellite buses. In the taxonomy of space technology, it is an **instance of** a "spacecraft family" and a **subclass of** "spacecraft bus." A spacecraft bus acts as the general model or standardized infrastructure upon which multiple-production spacecraft are built. It functions as the service module section, providing necessary locations and resources for the payload (typically experiments or instruments). The Eurostar family fits this definition by offering a reusable chassis that handles core operations like power, propulsion, and thermal control.

### Manufacturing and Origin
The Eurostar family originates from **France**. Its development and production span the history of major European aerospace mergers:
*   **Airbus Defence and Space**: The current primary manufacturer listed for the family, as well as for the **Eurostar-Neo** and **OneSat** models.
*   **Astrium**: Credited as the manufacturer for the **Eurostar E1000** and the **Eurostar E3000** series.
*   **Matra Marconi Space and Space Systems**: Credited as the manufacturer for the **Eurostar E2000** series.

### Product Line and Variants
The Eurostar family comprises several distinct models and series, each with specific characteristics:

*   **Eurostar E1000**: A model of satellite bus manufactured by Astrium. It is documented in the Galician Wikipedia and is classified as a spacecraft model.
*   **Eurostar E2000**: A series of satellite buses manufactured by Matra Marconi Space and Space Systems. Like the E1000, it originates in France and has a Wikipedia presence in Galician.
*   **Eurostar E3000**: A prominent series of satellite buses manufactured by Astrium. It has a sitelink count of 5 and is available in German, English, Galician, Japanese, and Portuguese Wikipedias.
*   **Eurostar-Neo**: A model of geostationary communications satellite bus manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space. It is explicitly based on the **Eurostar E3000** platform but incorporates advancements for modern telecommunications.
*   **OneSat**: A model of satellite bus manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space. It is classified as a "vehicle model" and is a direct **subclass of** the Eurostar family. It has a specific Google Knowledge Graph ID (`/g/11j8pp3hf_`) and is documented in the French Wikipedia.

### Digital Presence and Identifiers
The Eurostar family has a well-defined footprint in structured knowledge systems:
*   **Wikipedia**: The main entity "Eurostar (satellite bus)" has a **sitelink count of 7**, appearing in Belarusian, German, English, French, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian.
*   **Wikidata**: The entity is described as a "family of European satellite buses."
*   **Freebase**: The family identifier is `/m/0b768lx`.
*   **Google Knowledge Graph**: Specific models like OneSat have unique IDs (e.g., `/g/11j8pp3hf_`).

### Relationships within Spacecraft Taxonomy
The Eurostar family sits within a broader classification system:
*   **Parent Class**: Spacecraft bus (the general concept of a satellite platform).
*   **Subclasses/Parts**: Eurostar E1000, E2000, E3000, Eurostar-Neo, and OneSat are all identified as specific models or series within this family.
*   **Metaclass**: It falls under the "spacecraft component" and "product model" categories.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013