Thales Alenia Space, a Joint Venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%) and Maxar Technologies, have completed a milestone for the Telesat LEO constellation, the companies announced May 6.
The consortium has now significantly advanced their detailed, low-risk
designs for the complete LEO system, including system optimization,
requirements development, engineering trade-offs and technology prototyping to
establish mature and compelling designs for Telesat LEO’s space, ground and
user terminal segments.
As previously
announced, Telesat selected the consortium of Thales Alenia Space and Maxar, as
one of two contractors for its LEO system design phase to design an end-to-end
communications system, including satellites, landing stations, user terminals,
operations centers, and ground network. In January, the consortium, led by
Thales Alenia Space, announced the success of the System
Requirements Review.
The Thales
Alenia Space / Maxar design for Telesat LEO is based on the combined companies’
proven experience, industrial capability and a strong supplier base for fully
integrated communications satellite systems, including payload antenna design,
on-board processing, optical inter-satellite links and LEO satellite
production. This milestone is the result of fruitful and efficient teamwork
between the two commercial companies.
“Together with
Maxar, we bring a strong expertise in integrated systems, high throughput
payloads, advanced antennas and processors, as well as production heritage for
constellations of high technology satellites. Leveraging the flight proven
success of sophisticated constellations deployed by Thales Alenia Space, we are
confident to enable Telesat LEO to deliver low-risk, breakthrough performance
and affordability dedicated to broadband services around the world,” declared
Martin Van Schaik, Senior VP Sales and Marketing Thales Alenia Space.
“Achieving this milestone demonstrates the success of Maxar’s close collaboration with Thales Alenia Space and highlights the progress we’ve made in our innovative and low-risk design for Telesat’s LEO constellation. Our solution leverages both Maxar and Thales Alenia Space’s experience in building LEO constellations and also integrates advanced technologies from Maxar’s MDA business,” said Megan Fitzgerald, Maxar’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of Space Solutions. “For over 60 years, Maxar has helped to address many of the world’s most challenging communications requirements, delivering some of the most complex, powerful and highest capacity satellite systems, and building a better, more connected world.”
Source: Thales
By Loren Blinde
May 7, 2019
