DFS Kopernikus
DFS-Kopernikus was the name of three geostationary satellites of Deutsche Bundespost and later Deutsche Telekom AG. They are no longer in use.
When DFS-Kopernikus 3 was nearing the end of its life, SES sealed an agreement with Deutsche Telekom to use the 23.5° East position and frequencies, and in August 2001, Astra 1D was moved there. The Astra 23.5°E position was officially opened in March 2002 with the launch and positioning of Astra 3A. Deutsche Telekom contracted for 10 transponders on that craft and shortly switched over all traffic from DFS-Kopernikus 3.Station Keeping
The orbital station-keeping manoeuvres of the satellites were conducted by the Flight Dynamics Group of the German Aerospace Center in Oberpfaffenhofen, Bavaria. The satellites were located at the following positions:
- DFS-Kopernikus 1: 23.5° East, later 33.5° East
- DFS-Kopernikus 2: 28.5° East
- DFS-Kopernikus 3: 23.5° East
- SES: ca. 80%
- Kopernikus: ca. 20%
- TV-SAT 2: under 1%
