[SatNews] Anaren Inc. has received a $20 million contract from a French company to make components for new communications satellites. Thales Alenia Space of France has a contract with Iridium Communications to make 81 communication satellites. Thales Alenia Space has hired Anaren to make components for those satellites. Anaren made components for an earlier version of Iridium satellites, said John Hoeschele, the company’s marketing communications and government relations manager. The company has about 1,000 employees worldwide and some of the company’s current 30 openings for engineers and production workers are related to this contract, he said. Anaren will begin making deliveries on the contract in October 2012.