Lockheed Martin Wins Jabiru-1 Construction Deal with NewSat
By Jeffrey Hill | December 9, 2011
[Satellite TODAY 12-09-11] Australian satellite company NewSat has contracted Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems to build its new Jabiru-1 satellite, featuring a Ka-band payload that will aim to provide high-powered coverage across growth regions over the Middle East, Africa and Asia, the companies confirmed Dec. 8.
Lockheed Martin will immediately begin building the Jabiru-1 based on its A2100 series spacecraft to provide more than 7 gigahertz of Ka-band capacity for 15 years. The manufacturer said the new design would feature significant options in allocating the capacity among a combination of high-powered beams.
“The agreement with Lockheed Martin gives considerable flexibility with respect to the capacity of the satellite, which can be adjusted to meet NewSat’s final requirements. The financial terms of the agreement are confidential and cannot be released at this date,” the companies said in a joint statement.
Jabiru-1 is scheduled for launch in the second half of 2014. NewSat will target its services to government and enterprise markets, including mining, oil, gas, media and carrier-grade telecommunications, across Middle Eastern and West Asian regions.
NewSat said it has made an initial payment and will continue to make required milestone payments under the contract. “In anticipation of the condition in the Lockheed Martin contract that financing be completed by the end of the fiscal year 2012, we lodged our applications earlier this year with export credit agencies U.S. Ex-Im Bank and Coface. Lockheed Martin actively supported our application when lodged and will continue to work with us in our activities with the U.S. Ex-Im Bank until its conclusion,” NewSat said in the announcement.