Astrium Services has been unable to secure bank financing for two follow-on Spot commercial Earth observation satellites at acceptable financial terms because prospective government users of the system have declined to commit to firm data-purchase agreements, according to Bernard Mo-lard, Astrium's security and defense adviser. Molard, a retired French air force general and former director of the European Union Satellite Center, said the proposed Spot 6 and Spot 7 satellites, to be purchased at the same time to provide data continuity for Spot Image, have been delayed for months because Astrium has been unable to close the business case with its banks.
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