Boeing Wins Silkwave 1 Satellite Contract for Telecommunications in Asia

Artist’s rendition of the Silkwave 1 satellite. Photo: Boeing

[Via Satellite 10-27-2015] Boeing has received a satellite order from New York Broadband (NYBB) to construct a satellite on its Boeing 702 platform to serve mobile users in China, India and other Asian markets. Denver, Colo.-based NYBB, which owns 12 Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) channels in the U.S., is procuring the satellite and will lease capacity to CMMB Vision. Located in Hong Kong, CMMB Vision plans to use the satellite to provide a comprehensive suite of media and information services to Asian customers.

CMMB Vision is planning a new service in Asia based on “Converged Mobile Media Broadcasting,” the mobile handheld TV technology standard in China. Silkwave 1 will eventually take the 105 degrees east-orbital slot currently occupied by NYBB’s AsiaStar spacecraft, along with its L-band spectrum rights. Silkwave 1 will offer 100 times greater transmission power than the spacecraft that it will replace. The new satellite will be based on a variant of the Boeing 702 platform with solar cells generating 14 Kw of power and carrying a 9-meter reflector. The launch is planned for 2018, and NYBB will decide on the provider.

“With this new Boeing satellite, Silkwave 1, we will realize a vision to deliver quality multimedia capabilities to the consumer on the move,” said Charles Wong, chairman and CEO of CMMB Vision. “Video, voice, data and other new digital media will become more readily available than ever before along the Silk Road of Asia, one of the most historically significant routes for commerce in the world.”