The long and difficult way to achieve ASTRA
My predecessor Pierre Werner, PM 20 years, 25 years Minister, was first presented with the
possibility of championing the Astra satellite system in 1983. He realized that the proposed
private, multi-satellite system with 16 channels per satellite would be a perfect vessel to
launch Europe’s passage to a new Media Ideal.
With the Astra System Europeans from Atlantic to the Urals, from the Northsea to the
Mediterranean would be able to receive satellite signals / either directly with their own
parabolic receiving antenna, via connections to an apartment master Antenna TV / or via one
of the cable television network systems now spreading across the continent. They would be
able to experience, as it at first hand, the various, rich, local national and regional cultures of
their neighboring lands. Pierre Werner was a great European minded Statesman (he was the
father of the Economic and Monetary Union which led to the single currencies, the Euro) and
perhaps, just perhaps, he thought the Astra satellite system might help Europe’s citizens
grasp the exclusive ideal – the ideal of Europe. Pierre Mendès – France – French
Statesman, has said: “Europe will be made by television.” Well then let’s do it, thought Pierre
Werner.
But this was not the only reason to launch the Astra satellite system; the main reason was to
give at this time a new impetus to our Radio and Television company, the RTL or CLT.
Luxembourg initiated since 1930 a private owned, commercial radio company, the only
private broadcaster in the continent of Europe, at a time where all other companies were
monolistic and stateowned. RTL had a wide ranged program, in German, French, English
and so on. Margaret Thatcher asked me always about Radio Luxembourg. In this Embassy
I would remember that our Embassy in Warshaw last year presented an exhibition about the
importance of RTL in Poland in the bitter years of communist regime – it was a bridge and
a link for young people in the western democratic countries.
In 1955 television was introduced in Luxembourg by RTL, also a private owned commercial
television. Then 1973 the Government decide to make a concession to CLT in order that the
company should exploit all the frequencies allocated to Luxembourg for direct broadcasting
satellites. In 1977 five channels were allocated to Luxembourg. The management of CLT
took this opportunity to initiate the planning for a Luxembourg Satellite System LUXSAT; but
the shareholders were not very enthusiastic and had some doubts about the merits of
a satellite system.
Therefore in 1983 the Government extended to CLT an ultimatum and, there were no
reaction from the CLT, the Government decided to go ahead. The situation in 1983 was ripe
for change. Not only the Luxembourg PM realized it but others did as well. Traditional print
companies were clamoring to be allowed to operate television and radio networks. Viewers
and citizens had become disgruntled and complacent. Governments and heads of
governments were looking for ways to change the situation and to stimulate a laggard
television and radio industry and service sector. The Governments of France and Germany
decided to elaborate a common DBS satellite project – the TDF and the TVS at systems.
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Huge amounts of money were given to these new industry – proposed projects; a new
European television transmission standard D2-MAC was proposed. But not one of these
projects was market inspired, not one of the projects responded to a need to create a real
Europe of, for and by the citizens in order to implement the European directive of Television
without frontiers.
In this context the Luxembourg initiative created some troubles and irritations.
First, the Government had the opportunity to be consulted by an American Clay Tom
Whitehead, which was an active member of the US satellite producer Hughes. He was a real
specialist and experimented in producing satellite.
In six month time he elaborated a new revolutionary satellite system which had also a new
commercial profile. It was based on telecommunication medium powered satellite with 16
transponders on each satellite. It was by far less expensive as the French or German
satellite system, hat 16 transponders and channels instead of the Five Channels on the
france-german system; it was therefore much more attractive for potential investors. But here
started the problems and the hurdles of the project Astra.
In the meantime PM Werner retired and I took the lead in July 1984.
The opposition was meanly threefold.
First the fierce opposition from the Governments especially the French Government.
There the opposition from the monopolistic TV stations which were organized in EUTELSAT.
Finally the opposition from the shareholder CLT themselves.
First the opposition from the Governments, especially the French one.
It was an American concept and the French fear was that through Luxembourg the American
cultural imperialism would be introduced in Europe, thank to American audiovisuals program,
made in USA. The reaction in the press media was very tough. One French Minister said in
1984: Nous ne sommes certainement pas disposé à laisser les satellites Coca Cola saper
notre identité linguistique et culturelle. » We do not want that through theses Coca Cola
satellites our linguistic and cultural identity would be undermined. » There were many
resistances and I had difficulty interviews with the representatives of the French Government,
and even with President Mitterrand.
The chancellor Kohl was less aggressive: He said only Jetzt wollen die Luxemburger auch
nach den Sternen am Himmel greifen.“ Now the Luxemburger want to grip the stars in
Heaven.
The only question he asked was: can the citizens in Eastern Germany – receive the program
by your satellite? My answer was “yes” and he was relieved.
The second opposition came from Eutelsat. It was clear that competition would take place
between the privately financed ASTRA satellite system and the Government – financed Post
and Telecom (PTT) monopolies Eutelsat satellite system.
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Given that the European wide Astra satellite also had many more channels than the national
DBS (Direct Broadcasting Satellite) projects being proposed by the existing television
monopoles at the time, it was also clear that Astra would provide an opportunity for a whole
new group of media players who had never before had access to airwaves to the public.
Eutelsat way very aggressive and claimed that our satellite system would be of significant
economic harm to the international organization and asked all the signatories of the Eutelsat
Charta to boycott our satellite. There was even a file before the European Court of Justice.
Finally there was the opposition of the shareholders of CLT-RTL. They did not believe in the
technicality of the functioning of the medium powered telecommunication satellite system,
and they were linked especially to the French Government.
But not with standing the Government persevered and choose a “go-it-alone” approach. The
main problem there was the financing front.
In this respect Whitehead did not succeed and we choose a new manager, that was Dr.
Pierre Meyrat. We created than on 1st of March 1985 the S.E.S the société européenne
satellites with State-owned and private companies and allocated the concession/licence of
Astra to this company. I passed a law in order to grant the Company with a guaranty of 3,6
billion francs. That was in January 1986. In the meantime we had many and difficult
negotiations in Geneva with Intelsat.
Finally the two heavy satellites of Germany and France had many technical and financial
problems. The German satellite TVsat did not unfold the solar panels and the French satellite
TDF had many commercial and financial problems. Therefore the discussions about
competition and preferences between our system and other systems collapsed.
In May 1987 we succeeded at the International Frequency Registration Board to register
Astra as first private satellite system. In October 1987 Astra was accepted by Intelsat and
finally in November 1987 by Eutelsat.
That was a long way to Tipperary.
But nevertheless Astra was not yet launched. After many delays due to “Ariane” in Kourou,
finally the launch was programmed for the 10. December 1988. But it did not succeed
immediately; after a first temptation it was 24 hours later Astra started to the stars in Guyana.
For me SES is a success story for this tiny country.
It is for me and for all politicians in this country at least a lesson that if you have a good idea
for your country you have to persevere in a long term planning and go, step by step, steadily
but surely, to obtain your goal.
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