The Soarsat service that provides free-to-view satellite services in Ireland will close in early 2028. The satellite that is used to deliver the service is reaching end of life and will not be replaced. The announcement brings into sharp focus the future of other satellite services, including those of Sky and Freesat.
Launched in 2012, Saorsat has provided coverage in areas where digital terrestrial television through Saorview may be challenged. It currently delivers services from public service broadcasters RTÉ, TG4, and Oireachtas TV.
These services will continue to be available on other platforms, including Saorview, Sky, Virgin Media, eir TV, Vodafone TV, and the online players from RTÉ, TG4, and Oireachtas TV.
Saorsat is delivered via the KA-SAT satellite, originally known as Eutelsat KA-SAT 9A and now owned by Viasat.
It operates from the 9° East orbital position, unlike the 28.2° East position used by services on Sky and Freesat in the United Kingdom.
The Saorsat service uses a highly targeted Ka-band spotbeam. Unlike standard residential satellite television which uses the Ku-band, KA-SAT operates on narrower Ka-band frequencies and focuses a tight “Irish spotbeam” specifically over the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. This design allows for frequency reuse and restricts the signal overspill.
The satellite was launched at the end of 2010. It was originally engineered for a 15-year operational lifespan. This is partly determined by the station-keeping fuel required to keep it in its orbital slot.
Although its lifespan has been extended to early 2028, Viasat has opted not to launch a replacement satellite to maintain this specific service. Other customers, including satellite data services, are being migrated to other platforms. Viasat has launched three satellites at different orbital positions.
The end of service in Ireland foreshadows a similar situation that affects other services delivered to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
SES satellites Astra 2E, 2F, and 2G at 28.2° East were launched between 2012 and 2014 with a 15 year lifespan, which means they are also reaching their nominal end-of-life windows, although it is possible to extend their service life for a few more years.
Astra has no announced plans to replace these spacecraft, which include spotbeams to target signals to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Although Sky has signed a contract extension to maintain its satellite service for the interim, it is planning to migrate users to online services like Sky Stream and sky Glass.
Freesat, which offers free-to-view services from the same Astra satellites, faces the same challenge, with alternatives available online through the Freely service, although that currently offers fewer channels.
There is the potential to use a robotic ‘space tug’ to extend the mission of existing satellites further by taking providing station keeping propulsion.
Other options could include co-locating an existing satellite at 28.2° East, or using capacity from rival Eutelsat, which operates from the nearby 28.5° East position.
For continental Europe, SES has launched a new Astra 1P satellite at 19.2° East, with 80 Ku-band transponders. It is also due to launch Astra 1Q in 2027, which will include software-defined spotbeams that can be reprogrammed while in orbit.
So while satellite television can continue to serve continental Europe for decades to come, the United Kingdom and Ireland may see them disappear into the sunset.