TDF 2 or TDF-2 was a French communications satellite which was to have been operated by Télévision de France (France Télécom). It was intended to be used to provide television broadcast services to Europe, however it failed before entering service. It was constructed by Aérospatiale, based on the Spacebus 300satellite bus, and carried five Ku-bandtransponders. At launch it had a mass of 2,144 kg (4,727 lb), and an expected operational lifespan of eight years.[2]
TDF 2 was placed into a geostationary orbit at a longitude of 19.2° West. In August 1997, at 36° East, the bird joined the Eutelsat fleet. TDF 2 is expected to remain in service at least until early 1999.[1][4]
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).