Thales Alenia Space wins contracts to built payloads for Russia’s Express AM8, AT1 and AT2 satellites
September 22, 2010
Thales Alenia Space announces tri-partite contracts with RSCC (Russian Space Operator) and JSC “ISS – Reshetnev Company” to supply the Express AM8, AT1 and AT2 communications satellite payloads.
Thales Alenia Space will be the communications payloads supplier. The satellite will be based on an Express 1000 platform provided by JSC “ISS – Reshetnev Company” and the satellites will be integrated and tested in ISS’ premises, Krasnoyarsk, Russia.
Express AM8 will operate at 14°W for a 15 years lifetime. The payload power is about 5.9 kW. AM8 will carry 24 active C-band transponders covering Europe-Africa and America, 16 active Ku-band transponders covering Europe-Asia, Africa, North and South America and 2 active L-band transponders.
Express AT1 will operate at 56°E for a 15 years lifetime. The payload power is about 5.6 kW. AT1 will carry 32 active Ku-band transponders over West and East Russia.
Express AT2 will operate at 36°E for a 15 years lifetime. The payload power is about 3 kW. AT2 will carry 16 active Ku-band transponders over West Russia.
“Cooperation with Russia is strategically important for Thales Alenia Space who does plan to continue to involve Russian space industry and expertise on a larger and deeper level” declared Reynald Seznec, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space. “For AM8, AT1 and AT2 satellites, Thales Alenia Space has proposed to its customer and to the Russian Authorities to further deepen existing collaboration and develop a new industrial partnership”, he added.
Thales Alenia Space has a history of successful cooperation of more than 15 years with Russia since the SESAT programme. RSCC is a very important customer to Thales Alenia Space and for a great number of its satellites, Thales Alenia Space has provided payloads, which were integrated with Russian platforms: Express-A1, Express-A2, Express-A3, Express-A4, Express-AM11, Express-AM22, Express-AM2, Express-AM3, Express-AM33, Express-AM44 (all with ISS), plus Express-MD1 and Express-MD2 (with Khrunichev).
The partnership with the Russian industry began in the early 2000's when Thales Alenia Space and ISS started joint marketing of satellites based on ISS' Express-1000 platform. The combination of ISS and Thales Alenia Space products and skills to serve this strategic partnership has recently triggered two important projects on the international market, namely Amos 5 and Telkom 3. With these tri-partite contracts announced today, the strategic cooperation between Thales Alenia Space and ISS is further reinforced and once again proven to be a successful one.
