Space Systems/Loral Wins S668M NBN Satellite Contract

摘要

Australia's NBN Co. said Feb. 8 it had contracted with Space Systems/Loral to build two high-power Ka-band broadband satellites as part of Australia's multibillion-dol-lar program to provide broadband access to its entire population. The satellite contract alone is valued at about 620 million Australian dollars ($668million), a fig-yure that does not include the two satellites' launch or insurance. In response to Space News inquiries, NBN said Palo Alto, Calif.-based Space Systems/Loral will provide five years of support for tracking, telemetry and control, and in-orbit service support for the satellites' 15-year service lives. Space Systems/Loral said price comparisons between the NBN spacecraft and the two large Ka-band satellites, ViaSat-1 and Jupiter, the company built for U.S. consumer broadband providers ViaSat and Hughes - each of which cost around $250 million - are difficult because of the special demands of the Australian project.