The European Space Agency (ESA) and Avanti Screenmedia Group PLC signed a contract to begin work on the Highly Flexible Satellite (Hylas) program, a Ka-/Ku-band satellite that will provide broadband Internet and high-definition (HD) TV coverage across Europe, ESA announced May 15.

EADS Astrium received a contract from Avanti to provide the payload for Hylas, the first order for EADS Astrium’s Generic Flexible Payload and Next Generation Antenna. The spacecraft will be based on the ISRO I-2K small satellite platform, the second order under a cooperative agreement EADS Astrium signed in June with Antrix Corp., the marketing arm of the Indian Space Research Organization, to jointly develop commercial communication satellites.

The total project cost is estimated at 120 million euros ($151.7 million), with ESA providing 34 million euros ($43 million). Hylas is scheduled to be launched to an orbital location at 3.5 degrees West in 2008.