The Hylas Pre-Shipment Review Board, comprised of senior officials from Avanti, ESA, Astrium and ISRO/Antrix made its recommendation on 18 September after meeting in Bangalore, India to assess the status of the spacecraft. The Board concluded unanimously that the satellite had successfully completed the ground qualification test programme and that it should be shipped to Kourou.
An Antonov 124 will move Hylas 1 from Bangalore to Kourou in early October. Hylas is planned to be launched on Ariane 5 ECA.
“There is a great sense of fulfilment today,” said Mr. Andrea Cotellessa, ESA's Hylas Project manager. “We have completed the work in less then four and a half years from actual contract signature. Considering the advanced payload that we have on board Hylas 1, and the performances measured so far, everybody involved in this project should feel very proud.”
Hylas, a flexible, broadband Ka-band satellite, will address the large demand for broadband services in Europe. 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, is providing the satellite platform. Other European and Canadian companies including TESAT, ComDev, and Casa Espacio are providing essential equipment for the communication payload.
The Hylas 1 ESA programme is a successful example of a Public Private Partnership; a creative fast track for demonstrating satellite technology in the frame of an operational mission. Hylas will be followed in the next two to three years by another two satellites developed in PPP programmes with satcom operators; Alphasat (with Inmarsat- Astrium) and Small GEO (with Hispasat – OHB). For further information on these programmes see the links located in the left navigation bar.
For more information on Hylas, see the links located in the column to the right.
