Astrium, ESA Sign Deal for High-speed Data Relay System

摘要

Astrium Services and the European Space Agency (ESA) on Oct. 4 announced they had signed a contract for the development and launch of the European Data Relay System (EDRS), which will use high-speed optical links on two geostationary satellites to relay Earth observation data. After nearly nine months of negotiations, the 19-nation ESA committed to paying Astrium 275 million euros ($366 million) as ESA's share in the construction of EDRS. Astrium Services has agreed to contribute an undisclosed amount — "tens of millions of euros," one official said — to the system's development.