The 23.5° east orbital position was first occupied by the DFS-Kopernikus 1 and DFS-Kopernikus 3 satellites, launched in June 1989 and October 1992, respectively, to provide channel feeds to German cable headends for Deutsche Bundespost (later, Deutsche Telekom).
Astra 3A was launched to provide follow-on capacity to replace the DFS-Kopernikus 3 satellite and deliver additional capacity for the Benelux countries and central Europe, to create SES-Astra’s third major European satellite hotspot after Astra 19.2°E and Astra 28.2°E with access to channels at both positions using a single dish fitted with a monoblock Duo LNB.
The video, featuring the group's members dancing on a black background, relied heavily on electronic trail effects, created at Image West, Ltd. using then-cutting edge equipment: the Scanimate analog computer system and a Quantel DFS 3000 digital framestore.
A subsequent development was made in generalizing the DFS picture when E. Knill, R. Laflamme, and L. Viola introduced the concept of a "noiseless subsystem".
At the same time, DFS opens a new downtown store in the heart of Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, and secures three core concessions at Hong Kong International Airport.
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In 1960, Americans "Charles Feeney and Robert Miller founded Tourists International, which later became Duty Free Shoppers (DFS), in Hong Kong, at a time when tax free shopping was still in its infancy.
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DFS also entered the U.S. market by opening stores at San Francisco International Airport and in downtown San Francisco.
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The Group is privately held and majority owned by the world’s largest luxury conglomerate Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), alongside DFS co-founder and shareholder Robert Miller.
When DFS-Kopernikus 3 was nearing the end of its life, SES reached agreement with Deutsche Telekom to use the 23.5° east position and frequencies, and in August 2001, Astra 1D was moved there.
On April 26, 1941 the troops from six DFS 230 gliders captured the bridge over the Corinth Canal accompanied by 40 plane-loads of German paratroopers.