Thales Alenia Space announced today that it has shipped to the Kourou spaceport the second ComSatBw satellite, which will be launched on March 24 by an Ariane 5 ECA. As satellite prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space designed, built, integrated, tested and delivered both ComSatBw satellites on behalf of EADS Astrium, the space segment prime contractor.

ComSatBw military communications satellites deliver key services for the German armed forces. They provide a secure broadband network guaranteeing uninterrupted communications between the government, military authorities and armed forces deployed anywhere in the world.

ComSatBw multimission geostationary satellites are based on the Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 3000B2 platform, and carry payloads comprising SHF (Super-High-Frequency), and UHF transponders (Ultra-High-Frequency), mainly provided by EADS Astrium. Weighing about 2,500 kg at launch, ComSatBw satellites offer 3.5 kW of power and has a design life estimated at 15 years.