Astrium Services has been awarded a contract by the European Defence Agency (EDA) for a new preparatory study aimed at coordinating the future military communication needs of the European Union (EU). The single year pilot project aims at creating a centralized system for the procurement of satellite communications (SATCOM) on commercial space capacity, such as Ku-, Ka- and C-bands.

Over the next year, Astrium Services will map out the SATCOM requirements of the European Member States’ respective armed forces, while developing an operational framework for the European Satellite Communication Procurement Cell (ESCPC). The aim of the ESCPC will be to coordinate and aggregate EU Member States’ orders for satellite communications services — ultimately ensuring the best and most cost-effective access to commercial capacity for military purposes. Once the ESCPC is in place, Astrium Services will be able to offer its unique one-stop-shop 24/7 approach, via its London Satellite Exchange (LSE) subsidiary, and will be ready to manage and execute a full Catalogue of Services.