spacetoday.net: Lockheed wins Swedish satellite contract

Posted: Thu, Jan 13, 2005, 7:23 AM ET (1223 GMT)
Lockheed Martin A2100 satellite illustration

Swedish communications company Nordic Satellite AB (NSAB) awarded Lockheed Martin a contract Wednesday for a new satellite. The satellite, Sirius 4, will be based on Lockheed's A2100AX bus with a mix of 2 Ka-band and 52 Ku-band payloads. The satellite will be used in part to replace coverage in portions of northern and eastern Europe, and Russia, currently provided by the Sirius 2 and 3 satellites. Sirius 4 will also provide Ka-band interactive services in parts of Europe, as well as coverage of sub-Saharan Africa. The satellite is scheduled to be launched by the 2nd quarter of 2007, although launch arrangements were not announced. Terms of the contract also were not disclosed.