This important step was completed in late October by Astrium-UK, prime contractor for the Hylas satellite, supported by Avanti Communications (Avanti), the satellite customer and operator, and ESA, partner and co-funder of the project. The next phase involves the integration of payload and platform systems and the execution of the satellite level test programme prior to launch in 2010.
The Hylas mission will address the large demand for broadband services in Europe that cannot be met by terrestrial networks. It will provide capacity to serve hundreds of thousands of internet users, and broadcast up to 30 standard quality or 15 High Definition TV channels in Ku-band.
Astrium is leading the design and manufacture of Hylas and is responsible for developing the advanced Ku and Ka-band payload. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), located in Bangalore India, is providing the satellite platform. The communications payload and platform will be integrated and tested in Bangalore in preparation for the satellite launch by Arianespace in 2010. Other European and Canadian companies including TESAT, ComDev, and Casa Espacio are providing essential equipment for the communication payload.
“The Generic Flexible Payload technology, developed by Astrium, is at the heart of the communications module,” explains Andrew Murrell, Hylas Payload Engineer for ESA. “It is based on highly integrated equipment that provides in-orbit flexibility to adapt the satellite’s frequency plan and connectivity to match evolving market demands. The utilisation of the newly developed flexible TWTA (Travelling Wave Tube Amplifier) from TESAT enables further optimisation of satellite resources by allowing power to be re-allocated between service regions according to evolving needs.”
While broadband services for domestic and business customers form the core application for HYLAS, the system has been designed to support the provision of other communications applications such as HDTV broadcasting and data contribution and distribution services.
A contract was signed between ESA and Avanti for the development of Hylas in 2006 providing support to the development of the most innovative elements of this new system. The satellite is designed to have a lifetime of 15 years, and will be launched into geostationary orbit at 33.5° W.
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