Thales Alenia Space will provide its SpaceGate ground connectivity solution to Eutelsat for the Konnect VHTS satellite across Europe.
Thales Alenia Space already developed for Eutelsat the digital Eutelsat Konnect VHTS satellite based on the full electric Spacebus NEO platform and is expected to be launched on September 6, 2022.
The SpaceGate satellite access network solution, designed for High Throughput and Very High Throughput satellites, will provide wideband connectivity with improved spectral efficiency, significantly increasing the Eutelsat Konnect VHTS ground segment performances.
It is composed of baseband equipment to be deployed in the Eutelsat ground stations as well as terminals, allowing internet connectivity over fiber-less areas due to the satellite.
SpaceGate’s flexible and modular solution has been developed with the support of French and European Space Agency’s CNES and ESA research & development programmes, Cyber secured by Thales design, SpaceGate is also adapted to Software Defined Satellites including constellations.
Commenting on the deal, Marc Henri Serre, EVP Telecommunications at Thales Alenia Space, said: “Bridging the Digital Divide is a priority for the growth in France and in Europe, we are proud to contribute to this important target by offering a French/European network access solution which is also matching the sovereignty and connectivity key stakes. We are also very enthusiast to reinforce our collaboration with Eutelsat and by implementing together new innovative challenges.”
Pascal Homsy, CTO of Eutelsat, added: “We’re delighted to be teaming up with one of our long-standing industry partners, Thales Alenia Space, on this new line of ground segment products for our Eutelsat Konnect VHTS satellite. This partnership is yet another proof of our ongoing commitment to digital inclusion, and will bolster our service offering provided by this satellite, which spearheads our strategy of shifting to telecom connectivity. By offering a ground segment designed and built by one of the leading space companies in France to complement the ground infrastructures developed by our other partner, Hughes, we’re also supporting France’s space sovereignty in this market.”
Eutelsat Konnect VHTS will provide high-speed internet access everywhere in Europe, especially in isolated regions with poor coverage, delivering service on a par with fiber-optic networks in terms of performance and cost.
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