Satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space signed a three-party agreement with two Russian space enterprises to supply electronic components for three communications satellites, the company said Wednesday.

The space enterprises are the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) and Information Satellite Systems - Reshetnev Company (ISS - Reshetnev).

"Thales Alenia Space will be the communications payloads supplier. The satellite will be based on an Express 1000 platform provided by JSC 'ISS - Reshetnev Company' and the satellites will be integrated and tested in ISS' premises in Krasnoyarsk," Thales said in a statement.

The Express AM8 will operate at 14 degrees W for a 15 years' lifetime. The payload power is about 5.9 kW. AM8 will carry 24 active C-band transponders covering Europe-Africa and America, 16 active Ku-band transponders covering Europe-Asia, Africa, North and South America and 2 active L-band transponders. It is to be orbited in 2013.

The Express AT1 will operate at 56 degrees E for a 15 years' lifetime. The payload power is about 5.6 kW. AT1 will carry 32 active Ku-band transponders over west and east Russia.

The Express AT2 will operate at 36 degrees E for a 15 years' lifetime. The payload power is about 3 kW. AT2 will carry 16 active Ku-band transponders over west Russia. The satellites are to be launched in late 2012.

Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between France's Thales (67%) and Italy's Finmeccanica (33%). It has worked with Russian enterprises for more than 15 years, starting with the Sesat program.

The company's revenues in 2009 totaled 2 billion euros ($2.7 bln), and it has a total of 7,200 employees in 9 industrial sites in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium.