• Forum
• SITREP
• Military
• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security

• Space

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Public Eye

Successful launch of the HOT BIRD 7A telecommunication satellite, built by Alcatel Alenia Space

13 March 2006

The HOT BIRDTM 7A telecommunication satellite, built by Alcatel Alenia Space as prime contractor, was successfully boosted into orbit on Saturday, from Kourou, French Guiana at 7:32 pm (local time) by an Ariane 5 ECA rocket. HOT BIRDTM 7A will enable Eutelsat to broadcast digital television channels as well as radio services in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

Based on the Alcatel Alenia Space's Spacebus 3000B3 platform, the new satellite will join Eutelsat's HOT BIRDTM family of satellites co-located at 13 degree East and currently broadcasting 850 television channels and 550 radio channels to 110 million homes over Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Designed with a lifetime of 15 years, HOT BIRDTM 7A has 38 Ku-band transponders, a launch mass of 4,100 Kg and its solar panels will deliver 10 kW of electrical power. This satellite will replace HOT BIRDTM 1, will increase in-orbit capacity from 100 transponders to 102 transponders at HOT BIRD position and will provide redundancy.

Alcatel Alenia Space President and CEO Pascale Sourisse noted: "Alcatel Alenia Space and Eutelsat have been partnering for nearly 20 years. With 16 Alcatel Alenia Space-built satellites provided to Eutelsat* to date, we are extremely proud of this long-term position as a preferred supplier. "

* 5 Eutelsat II (F1 to F5), HOT BIRDTM 1, HOT BIRDTM 6, HOT BIRDTM 7A, W2, W4, W5, W6, SESAT 1 (with NPO-PM), EuroBirdTM 1, Atlantic BirdTM 2, Atlantic Bird TM 3.

About Alcatel Alenia Space
Alcatel Alenia Space is the European leader in satellite systems, at the forefront of orbit infrastructures. Created in July 2005, the company brings together the vast experience and know-how of Alcatel Space and Alenia Spazio to form a new leading force in European space technology. Alcatel Alenia Space represents a worldwide standard for space development that impacts everybody's future: from navigation to telecommunications, from meteorology to environmental monitoring, from defence to science and observation. Alcatel Alenia Space is an Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) (67%) and Finmeccanica (Milan:SIFI.MI, FNC.IM) (33%) company.