Advanced Television

Airbus

Eutelsat orders E-36D from Airbus

Airbus has won the prime contractor order from Eutelsat for its E-36D satellite replacement for Eutelsat 36B which is likely to reach the end of its working life during 2026, some 17 years after its launch in November 2009 (and was previously known as Eutelsat W7 and with a 15-year design life). 36D is planned […]

March 22, 2021By Chris Forrester

Thales wins Galileo contract

Thales Alenia Space has won a $930 million-value contract (€772m) from the European Commission (EC) and issued via the European Space Agency to build six ‘next generation’ Galileo satellites. However, the contract is reportedly funded at 9.6 per cent higher than the main rival bid from Airbus, which is also seeking a contract to build […]

March 4, 2021By Chris Forrester

Airbus: “Most challenging crisis”

While much of the Airbus Group results released this week are focused on its aircraft business, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury told analysts that the past year represented the most challenging crisis to hit the aerospace industry. However, the satellite and rocket business figured in its end-of-year numbers (to December 31st 2020). The pressures from across […]

February 19, 2021By Chris Forrester

European Court suspends Galileo contract signings

The European Court has suspended a massive $1.8 billion (€1.47bn) manufacturing contract with Airbus and Thales Alenia for production of Galileo sat-nav satellites. The Court is looking at allegations of trade secret thefts. An objection to the Court from Germany-based satellite builder OHB-System which had pitched with the UK’s Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) on construction […]

February 8, 2021By Chris Forrester

Intelsat confirms Airbus order

Airbus has confirmed that it has received an order from Intelsat for two satellites. Intelsat had requested permission from its Bankruptcy Court to go ahead with the contract. Intelsat has ordered the paid of Airbus ‘OneSat’ craft which are highly flexible satellites with next-generation software giving Intelsat a variety of technical options including frequency adaptability. […]

January 11, 2021By Chris Forrester

Intelsat orders two Airbus IFC satellites

Intelsat, currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reconstruction, is asking its bankruptcy court to formally approve two new satellites for broadband In-Flight Connectivity. The craft are needed following on from its $500 million purchase last year of the commercial aviation assets of Gogo. Intelsat wants to order the pair of satellites from Airbus Defence & Space […]

January 6, 2021By Chris Forrester

Airbus switching OneWeb production to UK?

OneWeb, the would-be broadband-by-satellite constellation backed by the UK and India, is contemplating switching its current Florida satellite production line to the UK. The Mail on Sunday reported that “executives behind OneWeb briefed civil servants” on the merits of moving satellite production from Florida to the UK. Currently satellite production takes place under a joint-venture […]

January 4, 2021By Chris Forrester

EC LEO plan gets support from satcos

The European Commission (EC) is looking to build a global Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) broadband-by-satellite system to help bridge – and solve – the digital divide in connectivity. The European Commission has selected a consortium of European satellite manufacturers, operators and service providers, telco operators and launch service providers to study the design, development and […]

December 23, 2020By Chris Forrester

Arianespace launching 36 OneWeb satellites

Arianespace will use Russia’s ’Far East’ cosmodrome at Vostochny to launch 36 OneWeb satellites into orbit today (December 18th), at 12:26 GMT (21:26 Russia Vostochny time). Arianespace is depending on a Soyuz rocket, often called the workhorse for the frequency of its use, for its Flight ST29, and the rocket was rolled out to its […]

December 18, 2020By Chris Forrester

Hinds appointed OneWeb Satellites CEO

OneWeb Satellites, the joint-venture business set up in Florida and owned by OneWeb itself and Airbus, has appointed a new CEO, promoting the current COO James Hinds to the role. He takes over from Tony Gingiss who has headed the business since 2017. OneWeb’s latest batch of 36 satellites are due for launch on December […]

December 17, 2020By Chris Forrester