[SatNews] "It has been a pleasure to help Bulgaria Sat reach this milestone of ordering its first satellite..."
Space Systems/Loral (SSL), provider of commercial satellites, announced that it was selected to provide a communications satellite for Bulgaria Sat, an affiliate of Bulsatcom, which is a leading telecommunications company and provider of pay-TV services in Bulgaria. The satellite, which will provide Direct-to-Home (DTH) television service in the Balkan region, will be Bulgaria Sat’s first dedicated satellite.
Artists rendering of Bulgaria Sat.
“SSL has a long history of working with both large established satellite operators and newer ventures to provide highly reliable satellites for today’s advanced services,” said John Celli, president of SSL. “It has been a pleasure to help Bulgaria Sat reach this milestone of ordering its first satellite, which will help expand connectivity in the region, bringing the latest in up-to-date information and entertainment.”
The satellite, BulgariaSat-1, will provide DTH services and fixed satellite services in the Balkans and other European regions to help meet the growing demand for telecommunications services. BulgariaSat-1 will be equipped with 2 Ku-band FSS transponders and 30 Ku-band BSS transponders for fixed satellite services and advanced television services such as high definition television.
“We selected SSL to manufacture our first satellite early on, based on its history of success and reliability,” said Maxim Zayakov, chief executive officer of Bulgaria Sat. “SSL has been an excellent partner in helping us bring this project to fruition.”
SSL assisted Bulgaria Sat in obtaining all of the financing for the satellite, including export credit financing from the Export-Import Bank of the United States. BulgariaSat-1 will be delivered in-orbit, following its launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2016.
BulgariaSat-1 is based on the space-proven SSL 1300 satellite platform that provides the flexibility for a broad range of applications and technology advances. It is designed to deliver service for 15 years or more.
Bulgaria Sat AD is a Bulgarian joint stock company established by the owners of Bulsatcom for the specific purpose of procuring and operating the BulgariaSat-1 telecommunications satellite. Bulsatcom is the largest pay-TV provider in Bulgaria, providing more than 100 digital TV channels, including exclusive content, as well as broadband Internet access. Their leading market position is based on outstanding customer support and high-quality uninterrupted broadcast services.