spacetoday.net: Eutelsat spacecraft suffers anomaly

Posted: Fri, Jan 29, 2010, 5:09 AM ET (1009 GMT)
A Eutelsat communications satellite suffered a technical problem late Wednesday, disrupting broadcasting services. The Eutelsat W2 spacecraft, located at 16 degrees east in GEO, went into safe mode late Wednesday, and Eutelsat said Thursday it was working with the satellite's manufacturer, Thales Alenia Space, to resolve the problem, without providing further information about the issue. The spacecraft, launched in late 1998, provides television broadcasting services for portions of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Eutelsat said it was moving customers off W2 to three other satellites at the same orbital location.