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Thales Alenia Space to Build Civil, Military Satellite for CNES, ASI

By Staff Writer | February 11, 2010
      [Satellite TODAY 02-11-10] Thales Alenia Space has signed a contract with French and Italian space agencies CNES and ASI, to develop, construct, test and deliver in orbit a broadband civil and military telecommunications satellite, Athena-Fidus, Thales Alenia Space announced Feb. 10.
         Athena-Fidus will be a geostationary satellite based on the Spacebus 4000 B2 platform, operating in the Ka and EHF bands while employing DVB-RCS and DVB-S2 civil communications standards. The satellite will complement the capabilities already offered by the Syracuse and Sicral systems.
         The satellite will be used by French and Italian defense forces, civil and homeland security agencies and police and fire departments after its launch by Arianespace in 2013.
         “Our collaboration with Telespazio, via the Space Alliance, was a critical factor in our selection. We were able to combine the top skills in each country, in particular the industrial expertise of Thales Alenia Space and the service expertise of Telespazio,” Thales Alenia Space President and CEO Reynald Seznec said in a statement.
         Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

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