You can follow the transmission from your home, provided you have a digital satellite receiver and a satellite antenna pointed to Astra. The ESA Television Service will make use of an Astra transponder instead of the "classical" Eutelsat 10-degree West transponder. The transmission can be received with a normal consumer satellite reception equipment - provided it is able to receive digital transmissions.
 
Transmission details

Astra 2C at 19 degrees East Transponder 57, horizontal, MPEG-2, MCPC Frequency 10832 MHz, Symbol Rate 22000 MS/sec, FEC=5/6

Service name: ‘ESA’ – please select this on your digital receiver

On this channel, colour bars with a superimposed ESA logo will be transmitted from three days before the launch (27 October at 06:00 CET), until the start of the live launch transmission. An audio tone (1 KHz, -9 dB) will also be transmitted during this period.  
 
Transmission schedule
 
30 October: Launch
03:50 – 04.25 CET LIVE televised launch programme
06:00 – 06:15 CET Launch highlights

1 November: Docking and ingress
05:40 – 06:15 CET LIVE docking coverage
(estimated docking time 06:00 CET)

07:10 - 07:40 CET LIVE Odissea crew entering ISS
(estimated entry time 07:30 CET)

08:40 – 09:15 CET LIVE First crew VIP call
(estimated start time 09:00 CET)

10:00 – 10:15 CET Docking and entry highlights
 
 
Further information
 
The complete programme of ESA TV transmissions is available on http://television.esa.int
 
 
Last update: 16 March 2005