# Eutelsat 8 West B

> Eutelsat communications satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q18476556](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18476556)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutelsat_8_West_B)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/eutelsat-8-west-b

## Summary
Eutelsat 8 West B is a French-operated geostationary communications satellite built by Thales Alenia Space and operated by Eutelsat. It is a direct-broadcast satellite launched on 20 August 2015 aboard an Ariane 5 ECA and was manufactured on the Spacebus-4000C3 platform.

## Key Facts
- Eutelsat 8 West B is a direct-broadcast satellite and a geostationary artificial satellite operated by Eutelsat.  
- Launch date: 2015-08-20 (launch time recorded as 20:34:08).  
- Launch vehicle: Ariane 5 ECA (flight qualifier VA225).  
- Launch site / start point: ELA-3.  
- Mass (launch weight): 5,782 kilograms.  
- Spacecraft bus: Spacebus-4000C3.  
- Manufacturer: Thales Alenia Space.  
- COSPAR ID / NSSDC ID: 2015-039B.  
- Powered by: spacecraft solar array (2) and S400 (1).  
- Space tug used: ESC-A H14.4 (qualifier 579).  
- SCN (Satellite Catalog Number) / internal identifier: 40875.  
- Country of origin: France.  
- Significant event: launched with Intelsat 34 on 2015-08-20 from ELA-3.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Eutelsat 8 West B?
A: Eutelsat 8 West B is a direct-broadcast, geostationary communications satellite operated by Eutelsat and built by Thales Alenia Space on the Spacebus-4000C3 platform.

### Q: When and how was it launched?
A: It was launched on 20 August 2015 at 20:34:08 aboard an Ariane 5 ECA (VA225) from ELA-3. The launch was recorded as a significant event shared with Intelsat 34.

### Q: How large is the satellite?
A: The satellite's launch weight is 5,782 kilograms.

### Q: What identifiers does the satellite have?
A: COSPAR ID and NSSDC ID are 2015-039B, and the satellite catalog/SCN number is 40875.

## Why It Matters
Eutelsat 8 West B represents a mid-2010s generation communications satellite deployed to provide direct-broadcast services from geostationary orbit. As a direct-broadcast satellite, it is part of the class of satellites used to transmit television and similar broadcast services for home reception. Built on the Spacebus-4000C3 platform by Thales Alenia Space and operated by Eutelsat, the satellite’s substantial launch mass (5,782 kg) and use of both spacecraft solar arrays and an S400 power component indicate a design focused on sustained, high-capacity operations typical of broadcast-focused geostationary craft. Its launch aboard an Ariane 5 ECA (VA225) from ELA-3, together with Intelsat 34, situates it within coordinated commercial launch activity of 2015. The satellite’s identifiers (COSPAR 2015-039B, SCN 40875) and provenance (France, Thales Alenia Space, Eutelsat) make it a traceable asset in the global fleet of geostationary broadcast satellites and relevant to operators, ground station planners, and spectrum/regulatory stakeholders.

## Notable For
- Being a direct-broadcast and geostationary communications satellite operated by Eutelsat.  
- Built on the Spacebus-4000C3 spacecraft bus by Thales Alenia Space.  
- Launched on 20 August 2015 aboard an Ariane 5 ECA (VA225) from ELA-3, in the same launch event as Intelsat 34.  
- Relatively large launch mass of 5,782 kg for a broadcast satellite.  
- Identified in catalogues as COSPAR 2015-039B and SCN 40875.

## Body
### Overview
- Name: Eutelsat 8 West B (aliases: Nilesat 104B, EUTE 8 WEST B).  
- Type: Direct-broadcast satellite; geostationary artificial satellite.  
- Operator: Eutelsat.  
- Country of origin: France.  
- Wikipedia title: Eutelsat 8 West B.

### Spacecraft and Design
- Spacecraft bus: Spacebus-4000C3.  
- Manufacturer: Thales Alenia Space.  
- Power: spacecraft solar array (2 units indicated) and S400 (1 unit indicated).  
- Space tug: ESC-A H14.4 (qualifier 579).

### Launch and Mission Events
- Launch date and time: 2015-08-20, 20:34:08 (recorded qualifier).  
- Launch vehicle: Ariane 5 ECA, flight qualifier VA225.  
- Launch site / start point: ELA-3.  
- Significant launch event: rocket launch on 2015-08-20 from ELA-3; launch shared with Intelsat 34.

### Orbit and Operations
- Orbit type: Geostationary orbit (listed as satellite_of: geostationary orbit).  
- Role: Direct-broadcast communications (class used for home satellite TV broadcasts).

### Identifiers and Catalog Data
- COSPAR ID: 2015-039B.  
- NSSDC/NSSDCA ID: 2015-039B.  
- SCN / Satellite catalog number: 40875.  
- sitelink_count: 7.  
- Other registry: Wolfram Language entity code Entity["Satellite", "40875"]; Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/12mkx_vvy.

### Miscellaneous
- Wikidata description: Eutelsat communications satellite.  
- Wikipedia languages available: ar, ckb, de, en, fr, lv, pt.

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/eutelsat-8-west-b.htm)
2. Jonathan's Space Report