Sixteen million households watched high-definition TV channels via Astra satellites.

The first high-definition TV channel in Europe (Euro1080) broadcast via Astra 19.2°E[5] and SES Astra both supported new HDTV channels and pressed for standards, founding the European HDTV Forum and the HD ready TV specification.

[6] SES Astra has also been prominent in the development and roll-out of commercial 3D TV services for Europe, and in September 2010 announced an initiative with the backing of the major European public and private broadcasters and the consumer electronics industry, to support the introduction of 3D TV in Europe, including agreement on the minimum technical specifications required for broadcasting and receiving 3D television.

[7] Europe's first commercial 3D TV channel, Sky 3D launched from the Astra 28.2°E position on 1 October 2010.

[8] SES Astra was a member of the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) consortium of broadcasting and Internet industry companies that is promoting and establishing an open European standard (called HbbTV) for hybrid set-top boxes for the reception of broadcast TV and broadband multimedia applications with a single user interface.