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Thales Alenia Space signed an agreement to provide HISPASAT AG1 satellite with REDSAT payload

20 November 2008

Cannes, November 20, 2008 - Thales Alenia Space announced today that HISPASAT has signed an agreement with Thales Alenia Space España, its Spanish subsidiary, for the development and supply of the REDSAT Advanced Communication Payload for the AG1, a Small GEO mission within the scope of the European Space Agency's ARTES 11 program.

The small geostationary satellite initiative is aimed at the development of a general purpose small geostationary satellite, which will enable European players to compete effectively in this segment of the commercial GEO telecom market. The program will subsequently involve the development, manufacturing and launch of a first satellite mission to provide flight experience and an in-orbit demonstration of both the advanced payload and the platform.

HISPASAT is prime contractor for the AG1 mission and will subcontract the REDSAT advanced communication payload to Thales Alenia Space España, - which will lead this project. The REDSAT payload features two major innovations: a broadband multimedia system and an advanced antenna system.

* The broadband multimedia DVB system is an end-to-end advanced communication system based on an Onboard Regenerative Processor (OBP) and providing DVB-RCS/DVB-S2 capabilities. Thales Alenia Space España will define, develop and produce the whole system, including both space and ground subassemblies.
* The advanced antenna system will allow the small GEO mission to meet its performance specifications for both the transparent and regenerative repeaters in the Ku and Ka frequency bands. EADS CASA Espacio will develop and produce the entire antenna system, including space and ground subassemblies. It comprises the reflector antennas to support the mission in Ku and Ka frequency bands, and a highly innovative active Direct radiating Receiving Antenna (DRA) in Ku band.

The REDSAT Regenerative System is fully compliant with two European standards:
DVB-RCS and the recently issued DVB-S2. The system and payload designs draw on the broad experience of Thales Alenia Space España.

Angel Post, CEO of Thales Alenia Space España, said: "We are very proud to have been selected, which further strengthens the company's leadership in advanced communication payloads". He also emphasized that this contribution reinforces the technological positioning of the Spanish subsidiary as traditional ESA partner for the development of Advanced Telecom Repeaters & Systems.

About Thales Alenia Space
The European leader in satellite systems and a major player in orbital infrastructures, Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Finmeccanica (33%). Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio embody the two groups "Space Alliance". Thales Alenia Space sets the global standard in solutions for space telecoms, radar and optical Earth observation, defence and security, navigation and science. The company has a total of 7,200 employees and 11 industrial sites, with locations in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium. www.thalesaleniaspace.com

About Thales Alenia Space España
Thales Alenia Space España, the Spanish subsidiary of Thales Alenia Space, is a world leader in S-band TT&C subsystems, a recognized supplier of microwave RF equipment and a pioneer in onboard processing components and subsystems. It has already contributed to more than 100 communication, optical and radar Earth observation, science and navigation satellite programs, as well as space infrastructures.

About Hispasat
With more than 1.100 TV and radio channels HISPASAT is the seventh company of the world for income, is the leading operator in communications in Spanish and Portuguese markets and the principal bridge of communications for satellite between Europe and America. In the next years, Hispasat has foreseen the launch of three new satellites that will duplicate his spatial capacity in orbit and will consolidate his presence in America.