Posted: Mon, Oct 9, 2006, 8:09 AM ET (1209 GMT)
A Eutelsat communications satellite has suffered a power loss that will curtail its continued use, the European satellite operator announced Friday. Eurobird 10, which until earlier last week was known as Hot Bird 3, was in the process of moving from its previous location in GEO at 13 degrees east to 10 degrees east when it experienced an unspecified anomaly upon emerging from an eclipse period. Than anomaly caused "subsantial damage" to a solar array and loss of a significant fraction of the satellite's power. The satellite is continuing its transfer to its new orbital location and will operate there upon arrival, but using fewer transponders than previously planned. Eutelsat valued the satellite at €55 million (US$70 million), and warned that it may have to file a charge against earnings to compensate for the lost value of the satellite. Eutelsat had renamed and moved the satellite after a new satellite, Hot Bird 8, entered service at the old orbital location last week. The satellite, built by Astrium's predecessor Matra Marconi Space, was launched in 1997.

Related Links:

•  Space News article (subscription required)
•  Eutelsat press release