Page 68 - SAMENA Trends - January 2020

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

First Spacebus Neo Satellite Set for Launch

The first satellite developed under an initiative to help European The Spacebus Neo product line is developed in the frame of ESA’s
industry deliver competitive satellites for the commercial program of Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems
telecommunications market has entered its final phase before (ARTES) and the French PIA (“Programme d’Investissement
launch. Konnect will provide broadband services for Europe and d’Avenir”), in cooperation with ESA Member States, and managed
Africa, and was built by Thales Alenia Space for Eutelsat, its jointly by ESA and the French Space Agency, CNES. It has generated
commercial operator, under an ESA Partnership Project. After a an exceptional return on investment to European industry and ESA
long flight on board an Antonov cargo plane from Nice airport in Member States. The Neosat program comprises both Spacebus
France, the satellite was delivered to the launch site in French Neo by Thales Alenia Space and Eurostar Neo by Airbus. It
Guiana inside its large transport container. The satellite has includes development and in-orbit validation of the new satellite
completed its short and efficient launch campaign. Teams at product lines for both companies, allowing the two European
the launch site have conducted all tests and inspections, and satellite prime integrators to deliver competitive satellites for the
confirmed that sub-systems are flight ready. The satellite was commercial market.
placed on the upper position of the secondary payload adapter
and then within the fairing. These assembled parts have now
been fitted on top of the launcher, during the last major step of the
mechanical integration of the Ariane 5 rocket. The satellite is now
ready to be launched on 16 January, for the first Ariane launch of
2020, flight VA251. After the launch of Konnect, the Spacebus Neo
program will continue to introduce further innovative technologies
to the next satellites to be launched. So far Thales Alenia Space
has sold seven Spacebus Neo satellites. The next six missions
will be: the French government’s Syracuse-4; SES-17; another two
Eutelsat missions called Konnect Very High Throughput Satellite
and Eutelsat 10B, which will provide connectivity services for
aviation and maritime transport; Satria, which will be operated by
the Indonesian operator Pasifik Satelit Nusantara; and Amazonas
Nexus for Hispasat, a Spanish operator, which will deliver high-
capacity mobility services for aviation and maritime transport.

Broadband Satellite Put Into Orbit

A broadband communication satellite, rocket. Deployed in low-Earth orbit, the low-cost solid-fuel carrier rocket with high
developed by a Beijing-based company, satellite has a communication capacity reliability and a short preparation period.
was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite of up to 10Gbps. Relative technological The rocket, developed by a company under
Launch Center in northwest China. The tests will be conducted on the satellite. the China Aerospace Science and Industry
satellite, the first of many from Beijing- GalaxySpace aims to build a LEO broadband Corp, is mainly used to launch LEO small
based GalaxySpace, was sent into its satellite constellation and create a global satellites.
planned orbit by a Kuaizhou-1A carrier 5G communication network. KZ-1A is a

SADC Countries to Implement Satellite Sharing System

The implementation of a satellite to have quicker access to information, Ah-Thew, SADC senior coordinator for
sharing system would boost the Oliveira said, adding that it would mark science, technology and information, said
sustainable development of the African an important step for SADC members to SADC countries are drafting the policies
continent, Angola’s Secretary of State enter the space industry. Oliveira also for the satellite sharing system. SADC is
for Telecommunications Mario Oliveira said Angola plans to resend a national a regional economic group established in
said at a seminar of the Southern African satellite into orbit in the future, despite 1992 made up of 16 member states, whose
Development Community (SADC). The the failed launch of its first geostationary goal is to reduce poverty in and develop
system would enable African people satellite the Angosat-1 in 2017. George the economy of the southern Africa region.

68 JANUARY 2020