Advanced Television

Thales Alenia

ESA awards €233m for LEO demo satellites

The European Space Agency (ESA) has allocated a budget of €233 million to build a satellite with a target millimetre-level accuracy as the initial ‘demonstrator’ move for its Genesis and LEO-PNT scheme. The budget also covers two 5-satellite mini-constellations for a future orbital Positioning, Navigation and Timing system which are key elements for its Sat-Nav […]

March 21, 2024By Chris Forrester

SpaceX launching Indonesian satellite

Telkomsat-113BT (Merah Putih 2) is due for a launch today [February 20], weather permitting, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 3.11pm Florida-time when the launch window opens. The High Throughput Satellite launch will happen from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. The customer is PT Telkom Satelit Indonesia (Telkomsat) and will be placed […]

February 20, 2024By Chris Forrester

Thales to provide Laser payload for Hellas Sat 5

Hellas Sat, majority owned by Arabsat, has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thales Alenia Space to collaborate on the development of an optical communication payload for the upcoming new mission to be embarked on the future HellasSat 5 telecommunications satellite, which will orbit at 39 degrees East. The partnership between Hellas Sat and […]

January 29, 2024By Chris Forrester

South Korea showcases latest satellite

A media delegation from South Korea visited the Thales Alenia Space satellite production facility in Toulouse, France, to examine Koreasat 6A and its payload. The visitors heard that the launch is on schedule for the winter of 2024-2025. The satellite uses Thales Alenia’s flight-proven Spacebus 4000 system, and will replace Koreasat 6 currently in orbit. […]

November 30, 2023

UK wants increased participation in IRIS2

IRIS2 is the proposed European mega-constellation of multi-orbiting satellites. IRIS2 (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) is planned to be deployed beginning in 2027. It will be a public-private financed scheme. The ‘private’ element comprises a wide-ranging consortium which includes the likes of SES, Airbus Defense & Space, Eutelsat, Hispasat and Thales Alenia […]

November 6, 2023By Chris Forrester

Indonesian comms satellite safely launched

SpaceX successfully launched a powerful and much-needed Indonesian communications satellite on June 18th. The new craft, SATRIA, is the linchpin in a $550 million project to provide high-speed internet access to schools, medical centres and thousands of public and government facilities across the island nation. A Falcon 9 rocket, using a booster stage that was […]

June 19, 2023

New satellite communication consortium formed

ST Engineering iDirect’s EU Satcom Centre of Excellence, ST Engineering iDirect Europe, located in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, which specialises in the development of ground segment technology and equipment for the EU, is leading a consortium of leading satellite industry players to develop the European Protected Waveform (EPW) for the European Defence Fund (EDF). The aim is […]

March 1, 2023By Chris Forrester

Hispasat’s Amazonas Nexus launched

SpaceX delivered a textbook launch of Hispasat’s Amazonas Nexus in the early hours of February 7th (at 03.32 GMT). The satellite, weighing some 4500 kgs, will serve Hispasat’s Americas clients. The satellite also carries an additional element to serve the US Space Agency in the form of a “high-bandwidth protected communications transponder” as part of […]

February 7, 2023By Chris Forrester

Success for latest Starlink launch

Elon Musk’s team of engineers at SpaceX are maintaining an impressive launch cadence. On January 31st they successfully launched 49 Starlink satellites which, says Musk, will mostly help provide connectivity over higher latitudes. On February 2nd the team in Florida will launch 53 more Starlinks. The February 2nd launch (officially Launch 5-3) will deliver 53 […]

February 1, 2023By Chris Forrester

Thales Alenia leads ESA Quantum sat-project

Thales Alenia Space has been awarded the lead contract to develop quantum technology-based satellites and their ground links. The development will mean much-improved cybersecurity benefits. Thales and its consortium members are looking to build satellites and matching optical ground stations by the end of 2026 to demonstrate the planned long-distance quantum satellite connectivity. The project […]

January 25, 2023By Chris Forrester