Astrium achieves Initial System Acceptance on Yahsat programme
Abu Dhabi, 30 November 2011
- Initial System Acceptance achieved on schedule
- Key milestone for Astrium Services, seven months after launch of first satellite
- Enables Yahsat to provide UAE Armed Forces with world class Mil-Ka satellite communications capability
Astrium Services and Thales Alenia Space (TAS) have achieved the Initial System Acceptance (ISA) milestone, which was approved by the Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) and the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.
The ISA milestone included the delivery of the anchor station assets at the first Yahsat site in Abu Dhabi, as well as the transmission, telemetry and control facilities on the second site in Al Ain City. A number of end user terminals of various types were delivered with an extensive Network Management System (NMS).
Commenting on this achievement, Tareq Abdulraheem Al Hosani, CEO of Yahsat, said: “We are pleased with the job Astrium Services and Thales Alenia Space have delivered, which enabled us to provide state-of-the-art secure satellite communications services. We are confident both companies will continue the outstanding work to achieve the final system acceptance in six months.”
Aidan Joy, Executive Director of Astrium’s Secure Satcom Systems and Nathalie Smirnov, Thales Alenia Space Senior Vice President of Telecom System and Payload, said: “This is a huge achievement for Astrium and TAS, which follows a test campaign over recent weeks and a final end-to-end demonstration to the UAE Armed Forces. Once again we have demonstrated our ability to plan and deliver an entire turnkey system from the satellites in orbit to the end user ground terminals – the whole team has done a fantastic job. The UAE now has a state-of-the-art secure satellite communications system that can be used for both commercial and military communication services.”
The state-of-the-art NMS facility provides remote control of all system hardware, delivering exceptional and instantaneous flexibility that reinforces the system’s secure communications capability.
Yahsat’s second satellite has completed its ground testing and is ready for launch early in 2012.
Yahsat, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, provides multi-purpose satellite communications services to commercial and governmental clients in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and South-West Asia. The company is the first satellite operator in the region to provide highly secure satellite services in Ka-band.
Astrium and Thales Alenia Space are jointly responsible for the overall Yahsat system. Astrium, the leading partner, is the prime contractor for the ground segment, in charge of the overall system and network management. The satellites are integrated and tested by Astrium, based on the company’s leading Eurostar E3000 platform. Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the Yahsat space segment, and is supplying the communications payloads and procuring the launchers. The ground terminals are provided by Astrium and Thales. The Launch and Early Orbit Phase operations are conducted from the Astrium spacecraft control centre in Toulouse.
About Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PrJSC “Yahsat”
Yahsat, the United Arab Emirates-based satellite communications company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala), provides multi-purpose satellite communications services to commercial and governmental clients in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and South-West Asia.
With a wide portfolio of voice, data, video and internet connectivity solutions, Yahsat satellites are designed based on market requirements and future applications. Yahsat has partnered with a consortium composed of EADS Astrium, Thales and Alenia Space in building a multi-purpose satellite communications system. Yahsat’s first satellite, Y1A, successfully launched this April while their second satellite, Y1B, is scheduled to launch in the first half of 2012.
About Astrium
Astrium is the number one company in Europe and the third in the world for space technologies. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems and services.
In 2010, Astrium had a turnover of €5 billion and more than 15,000 employees worldwide, mainly in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. Its three main areas of activity are Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure, Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment, and Astrium Services for comprehensive end-to-end solutions covering secure and commercial satcoms and networks, high security satellite communications equipment, bespoke geo-information and navigation services worldwide.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2010, the Group – comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter – generated revenues of € 45.8 billion and employed a workforce of nearly 122,000.
Press contacts:
Daniel Mosely
Media Relations UK
Astrium United Kingdom
Tel.: +44 14 38 77 81 80
Fax: +44 14 38 77 30 69
Gregory Gavroy
Astrium France
Media Relations France
Tel.: +33 (0) 1 77 75 80 32
Ralph Heinrich
Media Relations Germany
Astrium Germany
Tel.: +49 89 60 73 39 71
Fax: +49 89 60 72 97 65
Francisco Lechon
Media Relations Spain
Astrium Spain
Tel.: +34 91 5 86 37 41
Fax: +34 91 5 86 37 82
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