. 24/7 Space News .
TECH SPACE
Airbus ships first high-power all-electric EUTELSAT 172B satellite to Kourou for Eutelsat
by Staff Writers
Toulouse, France (SPX) Mar 17, 2017


For a larger version of this image please go here.

EUTELSAT 172B, the first high power all-electric telecommunications satellite, is now ready for shipment on 20 March from the Airbus satellite assembly facility in Toulouse to Kourou, French Guiana for Eutelsat, one of the world's leading satellite operators. The satellite will be launched into orbit on an Ariane 5 in April, and will provide enhanced telecommunications, in-flight broadband and broadcast services for the Asia-Pacific region.

"We are the first company to demonstrate full electric propulsion for satellites of this size and capacity," said Nicolas Chamussy, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. "With this spacecraft we are clearly setting a new benchmark - enabling powerful and complex satellites to be launched in the most cost efficient manner."

EUTELSAT 172B combines electric power of 13 kW with a launch weight of only 3,500 kg. It hosts three distinct payloads that will strengthen Eutelsat's capabilities across Asia-Pacific markets: a C-band payload, a regular Ku-band payload and a high throughput Ku-band payload designed for in-flight connectivity along Pacific air corridors.

The satellite also incorporates other state-of-the-art features, in particular the flexibility to dynamically distribute power between the 11 elliptical beams in the high throughput payload.

"Using electric propulsion for initial orbit raising and all on-station manoeuvres has led to a substantial weight reduction, enabling the satellite to be launched in the Ariane 5 lower position and offering more competitive launch costs," said Arnaud de Rosnay, Head of Telecommunications Satellites at Airbus.

Underpinning EUTELSAT 172B is Airbus' highly reliable Eurostar E3000 platform in its latest EOR (Electric Orbit Raising) evolution.

Innovative deployable robotic arms will be used to orientate the satellite's electric propulsion thrusters and to control thrust direction and attitude as needed during the different phases of the mission.

A proprietary network of ground stations around the world will allow Airbus engineers to control orbit raising operations until the satellite reaches geostationary orbit.

The development of Airbus' Eurostar all electric platform has been supported by ESA and space agencies of European countries, in particular in France by CNES in the framework of the PIA programme (Plan d'Investissements d'Avenir).

TECH SPACE
Orbiting in sunshine
Paris (ESA) Mar 13, 2017
Following three days of intensive work, mission control has declared the newly launched Sentinel-2B satellite fit and ready for commissioning. The 1100 kg Sentinel was launched on Tuesday atop a Vega rocket from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Joining its orbiting twin, the new satellite will double the high-resolution coverage from the Sentinel-2 mission for the EU's Copernicus env ... read more

Related Links
EUTELSAT
Space Technology News - Applications and Research

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

TECH SPACE
Russia to Build First New-Generation 'Federation' Spacecraft by 2021

NASA Selects New Research Teams to Further Solar System Research

Two more spacewalks for Thomas Pesquet

Trump's budget would cut NASA asteroid mission, earth science

TECH SPACE
SpaceX cargo ship returns to Earth

Hitting the brakes at Alpha Centauri

N. Korea's Kim hails engine test as 'new birth' for rocket industry

N.Korea rocket test shows 'meaningful progress': South

TECH SPACE
Does Mars Have Rings? Not Right Now, But Maybe One Day

ExoMars: science checkout completed and aerobraking begins

Mars Rover Tests Driving, Drilling and Detecting Life in Chile's High Desert

Opportunity Driving South to Gully

TECH SPACE
China Develops Spaceship Capable of Moon Landing

Long March-7 Y2 ready for launch of China's first cargo spacecraft

China Seeks Space Rockets Launched from Airplanes

Riding an asteroid: China's next space goal

TECH SPACE
OneWeb Satellites breaks ground on high-volume satellite manufacturing facility

Globalsat Sky and Space Global sign MoU for testing and offering satellite service in Latin America

Start-Ups at the Final Frontier

Russia probes murder of senior space official in jail

TECH SPACE
Using lasers to create ultra-short pulses

The strangeness of slow dynamics

Ecosystem For Near-Earth Space Control

Airbus ships first high-power all-electric EUTELSAT 172B satellite to Kourou for Eutelsat

TECH SPACE
Visualizing debris disk "roller derby" to understand planetary system evolution

Protostar blazes bright, reshaping its stellar nursery

Operation of ancient biological clock uncovered

Fossil or inorganic structure? Scientists dig into early life forms

TECH SPACE
Scientists make the case to restore Pluto's planet status

ESA's Jupiter mission moves off the drawing board

NASA Mission Named 'Europa Clipper'

Juno Captures Jupiter Cloudscape in High Resolution









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.