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Thales Alenia Space transferred Turksat 3A satellite to its launch site in Kourou

29 February 2008

Cannes, February 29, 2008 - Thales Alenia Space today announced that it has transferred the Turksat 3A communications satellite to the launch site in Kourou, French Guiana.

Turksat 3A satellite will enable Turksat to offer telecommunication services as well as direct TV broadcasting services though a broader area than its existing satellites covering Turkey, Europe, Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. With the help of its switchable transponders, Turksat 3A will act as a bridge between Europe and Asia. Turksat 3A's Turkey coverage has been specially designed to provide very efficient gain for broadband applications like VSAT services giving customers low-cost, up-link systems.

Based on Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B2, Turksat 3A will be fitted with 24 Ku-band transponders and will offer beginning of life power of about 8 kW. Positioned at 42°E, Turksat 3A will weight 3060 kg at launch and will replace Turksat 1C satellite.

Thales Alenia Space will be a major supplier on 23 launches this year, including six communications satellites(1), five telecommunications payloads(2), four observation satellites(3), two scientific satellites(4), two observation payloads(5), one navigation satellite(6), three modules for the International Space Station(7).

1 Star One C2, Turksat 3A, Chinasat 9, AMC-21, Sicral 1B, Ciel 2
2 Express AM33, Amos 3, BADR6, Express AM44, Express MD1
3 GOCE, Jason 2, COSMO SkyMed 3, SMOS
4 Herschel, Planck
5 Sar Lupe 4, Sar Lupe 5
6 Giove B
7 Colombus, ATV, MPLM

About Thales Alenia Space
European leader in satellite systems and at the forefront of orbital infrastructures, Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Finmeccanica (33%). Together with Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space forms a Space Alliance between the two groups. The company is a worldwide reference in telecoms, radar and optical Earth observation, defense and security, navigation and science. With 7200 employees and 11 industrial sites, Thales Alenia Space is located in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium.