Eutelsat’s creation reflects Europe’s ambition to develop an industry able to build, launch and operate satellites.

The organisation first took shape in 1977 in order to operate the first generation of communications satellites ordered by the European Space Agency (ESA).

The first satellite was launched in 1983 with three further satellites launched in this initial series, the final one in 1988.

These satellites presaged the beginning of the satellite television business with the first analogue channels very quickly taking advantage of a new opportunity to broadcast to cable headends and consumers equipped with a first-generation of reception equipment.