Neosat: meeting the needs of satellite operators
ESA’s Neosat programme is on schedule and the first two next-generation telecom platforms are being built for launch by 2019.
After a year of initial design efforts, ESA has received proposals from prime contractors Airbus Defence & Space and Thales Alenia Space for the full development and qualification of the new lines of satellite platforms.
Neosat is supporting both companies to deliver commercially attractive 3–6 tonne satellites to meet operators’ needs in the highly competitive worldwide satcom market.
The programme includes the in-orbit validation and crucial ‘flight heritage’ for the new platform lines: Spacebus Neo from Thales Alenia Space, and Eurostar Neo from Airbus.
Both prime contractors are setting up industrial consortia across Europe to develop and supply building blocks for the lines featuring innovative technology. Success for these new series will depend on timely delivery to the market at the right price.
Neosat is managed jointly by ESA and France’s CNES space agency with integrated teams following the separate developments of Airbus in France and the UK, and Thales Alenia Space in France, UK, Belgium and Italy.
Through Neosat, ESA aims to help European satellite builders to capture at least half of the world’s satcom market in 2018–30 through innovation and efficiency, generating €25 billion in sales. The programme is part of ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems programme, ARTES.
For further information, please contact:
Margherita Buoso
ESA Communication Officer for Telecommunications and Integrated Applications
Tel: +44 1235 444 293
Mob: +44 7557 503578
Email: margherita.buoso@esa.int
