Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), announced that it has signed a contract with SES to deliver 2 Ku-band geostationary satellites, ASTRA 1P and ASTRA 1Q to serve SES’s major European broadcasters’ content distribution operations as well as deliver connectivity services over Europe at 19.2°E.
Configuration ASTRA 1Q, a next-generation software defined satellite with both wide beams and high-throughput spot beams, is customisable on orbit and can be deployed easily to other orbital positions, enabling SES to serve the dynamic needs of its video and data customers well into the future. It will be based on the Space Inspire (INstant SPace In-orbit REconfiguration) innovative product line allowing seamless telecommunication mission and services reconfiguration, instant in-orbit adjustment to the demand, outstanding flexibility for video broadcasting and broadband connectivity services while maximizing the efficiency & effective use of the satellite resources.
5M is proud partner of this project supplying complete Mechanical Subsystem of new generation of solar arrays, which are flexible. ASTRA 1Q will be first application of Flexible Solar Arrays developed with TAS France. Development of Flexible Solar Array Mechanical Subsystem is done based on BSTG (Brno Space Technology Group) partnership under support of ESA. 5M is leader of consortium with participation of following partners: Frentech Aerospace, s.r.o. responsible for mechanical parts and mechanisms, L.K.Engineering, s.r.o. responsible for design and BD Sensors, s.r.o. supplying harnesses.
Flexible solar array innovative concept is not only technical challenge, pushing participating Czech companies to significantly higher technological level, but also excellent business opportunity, because flexible solar arrays substitute substantial part of standard solar arrays used at satellites today.
