Andrew Yee
March 16th 06, 09:48 PM
ESA News
http://www.esa.int
16 March 2006
Agreement between ESA and CNES for Alphabus
On Thursday 15 March, at the headquarters of the European Space Agency, a
co-operation agreement was signed between ESA and the Centre National
d'Études Spatiales for the development of Alphabus, Europe's next
generation of telecommunication satellites.
The signature of this co-operation agreement follows the signature of a
contract in June 2005 between the European Space Agency (ESA), the Centre
National d¹Études Spatiales (CNES), EADS Astrium and Alcatel Space (which
has since become Alcatel Alenia Space) who jointly committed to the
Alphabus development programme and to the production of the first flight
model around 2009.
The Alphabus programme is supported jointly by ESA and CNES. The agreement
which has just been signed establishes the arrangements for cooperation
between ESA and CNES in relation to the development and the qualification
of a generic line of large platforms for geostationary telecommunication
satellites, the provision of a flight model from this generic line and its
validation in orbit.
This agreement specifies that CNES will manage the development of this new
platform line, with ESA co-financing, for its part, the development of the
selected European equipment. ESA is therefore the first client for the
Alphabus line, thanks to the provision of the first flight model of this
platform.
Approved by ESA Member States during the Ministerial conference at
Edinburgh in November 2001, Alphabus is the result of the work of an
integrated team -- ESA/CNES and EADS Astrium/Alcatel Alenia Space -- which
has designed a product intended for the upper segment of the
telecommunication satellites market.
ESA, CNES, EADS Astrium and Alcatel Alenia Space have pooled their
technical and financial resources for a joint development programme.
Alphabus will offer Europe reliable solutions matching world demand for
very high power satellites and will be commercialised jointly by EADS
Astrium and Alcatel Alenia Space starting in 2007.
The Alphabus platform is designed for telecommunication satellites having
a payload power consumption of between 12 and 18 kW.
Satellites based on Alphabus will have a lift-off mass of between six and
eight tonnes and will be optimised for the European launcher Ariane 5 ECA
and the new generation of commercial launchers with a fairing diameter of
five metres.
The first flight model of the Alphabus platform, which will be available
in 2009, will be offered by ESA to telecommunication satellite operators
for their contribution to its in orbit validation. After a call for
candidates and a first selection, a definition phase for the first mission
of the satellite, named Alphasat, based on this first flight model of the
Alphabus platform, will be started with each of the three operators
selected (Eutelsat, Inmarsat and Telespazio).
A final selection at the end of 2006 will allow finalisation of the
Alphasat satellite configuration for a launch around 2010.
Related news
* Development of Alphabus, the new line of platforms for high-power
satellites
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMCGT1DU8E_index_0.html
Related links
* AlphaBus
http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=1138
* ESA Telecom for specialists
http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/language/index.cfm?flanguageid=5
* Centre National d¹Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
http://www.cnes.fr/html/_455_.php
* Alcatel Alenia Space
http://www.alcatel.com/space/index.htm
* EADS Astrium
http://www.space.eads.net/subsidiaries/eads-astrium
* Eutelsat
http://www.eutelsat.com/home/index.html
* Inmarsat
http://www.inmarsat.com/
* Telespazio
http://www.telespazio.it
[NOTE: Images supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMG7ONVGJE_index_1.html ]
http://www.esa.int
16 March 2006
Agreement between ESA and CNES for Alphabus
On Thursday 15 March, at the headquarters of the European Space Agency, a
co-operation agreement was signed between ESA and the Centre National
d'Études Spatiales for the development of Alphabus, Europe's next
generation of telecommunication satellites.
The signature of this co-operation agreement follows the signature of a
contract in June 2005 between the European Space Agency (ESA), the Centre
National d¹Études Spatiales (CNES), EADS Astrium and Alcatel Space (which
has since become Alcatel Alenia Space) who jointly committed to the
Alphabus development programme and to the production of the first flight
model around 2009.
The Alphabus programme is supported jointly by ESA and CNES. The agreement
which has just been signed establishes the arrangements for cooperation
between ESA and CNES in relation to the development and the qualification
of a generic line of large platforms for geostationary telecommunication
satellites, the provision of a flight model from this generic line and its
validation in orbit.
This agreement specifies that CNES will manage the development of this new
platform line, with ESA co-financing, for its part, the development of the
selected European equipment. ESA is therefore the first client for the
Alphabus line, thanks to the provision of the first flight model of this
platform.
Approved by ESA Member States during the Ministerial conference at
Edinburgh in November 2001, Alphabus is the result of the work of an
integrated team -- ESA/CNES and EADS Astrium/Alcatel Alenia Space -- which
has designed a product intended for the upper segment of the
telecommunication satellites market.
ESA, CNES, EADS Astrium and Alcatel Alenia Space have pooled their
technical and financial resources for a joint development programme.
Alphabus will offer Europe reliable solutions matching world demand for
very high power satellites and will be commercialised jointly by EADS
Astrium and Alcatel Alenia Space starting in 2007.
The Alphabus platform is designed for telecommunication satellites having
a payload power consumption of between 12 and 18 kW.
Satellites based on Alphabus will have a lift-off mass of between six and
eight tonnes and will be optimised for the European launcher Ariane 5 ECA
and the new generation of commercial launchers with a fairing diameter of
five metres.
The first flight model of the Alphabus platform, which will be available
in 2009, will be offered by ESA to telecommunication satellite operators
for their contribution to its in orbit validation. After a call for
candidates and a first selection, a definition phase for the first mission
of the satellite, named Alphasat, based on this first flight model of the
Alphabus platform, will be started with each of the three operators
selected (Eutelsat, Inmarsat and Telespazio).
A final selection at the end of 2006 will allow finalisation of the
Alphasat satellite configuration for a launch around 2010.
Related news
* Development of Alphabus, the new line of platforms for high-power
satellites
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMCGT1DU8E_index_0.html
Related links
* AlphaBus
http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=1138
* ESA Telecom for specialists
http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/language/index.cfm?flanguageid=5
* Centre National d¹Etudes Spatiales (CNES)
http://www.cnes.fr/html/_455_.php
* Alcatel Alenia Space
http://www.alcatel.com/space/index.htm
* EADS Astrium
http://www.space.eads.net/subsidiaries/eads-astrium
* Eutelsat
http://www.eutelsat.com/home/index.html
* Inmarsat
http://www.inmarsat.com/
* Telespazio
http://www.telespazio.it
[NOTE: Images supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMG7ONVGJE_index_1.html ]