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Thales Alenia Space España supplies Telecommunications equipment for Orbital's Cygnus Spacecraft

24 March 2011

Madrid, March 24, 2011 -- Thales Alenia Space España, has provided Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE:ORB) with advanced telecommunications systems for Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) data for the Cygnus unmanned cargo resupply vehicle.The contract is worth more than 4 million Euros.

The contract with Thales Alenia Space España, signed last year, considers design, manufacturing, and supply for three TTC telecommunication systems in spread spectrum technology (a technology that prevents interference with nearby satellites) for the establishment of telecommunications links through the Tracking Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS)network. Thales’ systems will be installed in the first three Cygnus vehicles.

Juan Garcés de Marcilla, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space España, said “ I am very pleased with the delivery of the communications systems to Orbital Sciences Corporation for its first Cygnus vehicle, seeing as this will encourage more collaboration between the companies and strengthen our leadership in telecommunications systems for space infrastructures and spacecrafts.¨ Also, Garcés de Marcilla stressed that “the flexibility of this product will serve all types of vehicles and launchers as it allows communication with the ground through various satellite systems.”

Thales Alenia Space España is the only European supplier of TTC telecommunications systems compatible with TDRSS satellites and validated by NASA. The Spanish company is a leading global supplier with a strong presence in the field of data telecommunications systems for both the European ATV and the Japanese HTV resupply vehicles. It also works actively in the definition and development of telecommunications systems, and for the future in-flight rendezvous manned vehicles (ARV).