[SatNews] Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) has selected Thales Alenia Space to build a 40-transponder Ku-band satellite enabling a 50 percent increase in capacity operated at its 21.5 degrees East location in geostationary orbit. Scheduled for launch in third quarter 2012, the W6A satellite will replace Eutelsat‘s W6 craft at a core neighbourhood anchored for data, professional video and government services across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.

Weighing in at five tons, the new satellite will be based on the Thales Alenia Space Spacebus C3 platform, with a scheduled in-orbit lifetime exceeding 15 years. It will be equipped with one broad footprint sweeping across Europe into North Africa and Central Asia, and two dedicated high-power beams to add increased flexibility for regional coverage of North Africa and the Middle East. This new satellite is the 20th ordered by Eutelsat from Thales Alenia Space. It forms part of Eutelsat’s capital expenditure program of 450 million euros on average per year for the period June 2009 to June 2012.