Posted: Thu, May 4, 2006, 10:34 AM ET (1434 GMT)
Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) and EADS Astrium have won contracts for commercial communications satellites, the two companies announced this week. SS/L announced Wednesday that it has signed a contract with AsiaSat, a Hong Kong-based satellite operator, to build the AsiaSat 5 satellite. The spacecraft, an SS/L 1300-series spacecraft with a payload of C- and Ku-band transponders, will be launched in 2008 to replace the existing AsiaSat 2 spacecraft at 100.5 degrees east. EADS Astrium announced Thursday that it will build the Hot Bird 9 satellite for European satellite operator Eutelsat. The spacecraft, based on the Eurostar E3000 platform, will carry 64 Ku-band transponders and serve initially as an on-orbit backup for the existing Hot Bird communications satellites at 13 degrees east. The spacecraft will be delivered to Eutelsat for launch in the third quarter of 2008. As is traditional in the industry, the terms of both contracts were not disclosed.

Related Links:

•  SS/Loral press release
•  EADS Astrium press release