Europeans Vow To Check Boeing Advantage in All-electric Sats

摘要

European government officials who have spent a decade financing satellite electric propulsion work said they are determined not to let Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems take a permanent lead in all-electric commercial satellites. El Segundo, Calif.-based Boeing in March signed a contract to build four all-electric commercial telecommunications satellites for Asian and Mexican satellite fleet operators. The four satellites will be built for slightly less than $100 million each for Asia Broadcast Satellite of Hong Kong and Mexico's Satmex, industry officials said. The satellites feature a design that uses electric propulsion not only for maintaining position once in geostationary orbit - many commercial satellites already have this feature - but also for raising themselves into final position from their launch vehicle drop-off point.