LATEST NEWS
User Terminal Workshop hosted by ESA and the European Commission convenes to shape the future of satellite connectivity solutions
July 10, 2026 • 14:51
ESA signs contract to co-fund VDES constellation for maritime safety communications with UK Space Agency and AAC Clyde Space
June 25, 2026 • 12:06
ESA, Airbus Defence and Space and Weeroc move to accelerate commercialisation of made-in-Europe electrical component vital to satellite operations
June 18, 2026 • 10:38
New 5G project to expand bandwidth and enable next-generation broadband services launched in Italy
May 26, 2026 • 09:45
ESA and Spain sign agreement to advance Europe’s secure connectivity future
May 20, 2026 • 15:04
EVENTS
HydRON – User Workshop
January 25, 2022
Publication date
28 Jul 2003
ECS-4 was one of the first European Communications Satellites to cover the whole European continent, enabling coverage for cable television, telephone communications, specialised services and Eurovision transmissions.
ECS-4/Eutelsat I-F4 (click
for larger image)
ESA developed and launched 5 European Communications Satellites between 1983 and 1988 for use by Eutelsat. The ECS system anticipated the need for digital transmission techniques for telephony, allowing for high-speed data traffic.
The ECS system has accumulated more than 3 million hours of operation.
For more information visit ‘Related Links’.