In July 2005 SES awarded the contract for the construction of its Astra 1M satellite to European manufacturer EADS Astrium.

EADS Astrium, as prime contractor for Astra 1M, will design and build the satellite and supply both the payload and the platform. European industry will supply the majority of the spacecraft equipment and technology. The satellite will provide a full range of television broadcasting services, including HDTV and other advanced audiovisual as well as broadband services.

EADS Astrium will manufacture the Astra 1M spacecraft based on its flight-proven and state-of-the-art Eurostar E3000 platform, the latest version of the Eurostar series, which became the first part of the SES fleet with the Astra 2B spacecraft launched in September 2000. Astra 1M will carry 36 transponders for the first five years (32 thereafter) covering the FSS and BSS frequency bands. The spacecraft will feature pan-European as well as Middle East and African coverage. The satellite will be specified for a minimum service life of 15 years. It has a launch mass of 5320 kilograms, a solar array span of 35 meters once deployed in orbit, and spacecraft power of 10 kW at end of life. The Astra 1M spacecraft is compatible with all flight-proven launch vehicles.