[SatNews] Spanish satellite telecommunications operator HISPASAT has selected Space Systems/Loral (SSL) to produce the Hispasat 1F satellite, to be located at orbital position 30 degrees West.

Artistic rendition of the HISPASAT 1F satellite.

Image courtesy of Space Systems/Loral.

The Hispasat 1F will serve as a replacement for the Hispasat 1D and will give the Group additional Ku-band capacity in the Andean region and in Brazil. Likewise, the Hispasat 1F will expand the Group’s transatlantic capacity in Europe-America and America-Europe connectivity. Ka-band capacity with European coverage will furthermore be incorporated, in order to enable HISPASAT to continue expanding its broadband service offer in the region.

The Hispasat 1F is expected to have a useful life span of 15 years. The satellite will be built on the SSL 1300 satellite platform, with 11.5 kW power and a multi-mission payload distributed across:

There will be 48 Ku-band transponders, which will serve three coverage areas:

• Europe and North Africa, with coverage on the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, the Azores, Cape Verde and Madeira; Mauritius, Morocco, Mediterranean countries in North West Africa and the large part of the European continent visible from 30º West.
• The Americas, with coverage from Canada to Patagonia, not including Brazil.
• South America, with coverage over the large part of the continent, especially in Brazil.
  • 6 Ka band beams, with coverage on the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic and Canary Islands, North West Africa and South East and Central Europe.
  • 1 Ka BSS band beam, with coverage centered in the Iberian Peninsula.
  • 1 C-band beam, with coverage centered in Brazil.

The HISPASAT satellite fleet.

Image courtesy of HISPASAT.

Carlos Espinós, managing director of HISPASAT, said, “HISPASAT is once again placing its trust in SSL, given the high-quality and reliability of their products. SSL has provided us with a compelling opportunity to team together. We are sure their 1300 platform is best suited for delivering the high service performance our company designed the Hispasat 1F to deliver. Furthermore, we are pleased to note that as a leader in geostationary satellite manufacturing, SSL benefits from Spanish built components on nearly all of its satellites”.

John Celli, president of SSL, said, “Hispasat 1F is the third satellite that SSL will build for HISPASAT and we are pleased to welcome our colleagues back to our facility. Our companies share a focus on quality, reliability and value and we look forward to teaming together again to build an outstanding satellite”.

The 1300 platform makes it possible to house a wide range of payloads for commercial communications satellites and its wide in-orbit experience serves to testify the high reliability it provides. In fact, the Hispasat 1F will be the Group’s third satellite to be built based on this experience. Furthermore, SSL’s expertise in manufacturing such large, complex satellites guarantees the Hispasat 1F will be delivered in line with HISPASAT requirements.

Additionally, HISPASAT (Grupo HISPASAT) is calling for entries to its Prize for the Best Telecommunications Satellite Innovation Project, on the occasion of the company's 25th anniversary.

Participation is open to all proposals having a sound, innovative project for telecommunications satellites, presenting a useful improvement that is applicable to any field related to satellite communications: Useful load, flight system or ground segment. Proposals submitted may take both academic and industrial approaches.

The prize for the winning proposal will consist of twelve-thousand euros in gross prize money as well as a diploma. The prize for the runner up will consist of five thousand euros in gross prize money and a diploma.

The deadline to submit applications is midnight, December 31, 2014, Spanish mainland time. Proposals should be sent, in Spanish or in English, to: premio25aniversario@hispasat.es. The email should include the personal and contact details (first and last name, telephone number, tax ID number) of the project’s author(s).

On the 30th of June, 1989, the HISPASAT company was founded as a public initiative, ratified in an agreement with the Council of Ministers on the 7th of April, 1989. The company began its course as a local operator, to whom exploration rights were granted at orbital position 30 degrees West. Two satellites were to be set into service from this position, namely the Hispasat 1A and 1B. Over the first few years, the Company began to serve as a communications bridge between Spain and America, owing to services such as RTVE broadcasts to the Americas, from New York to the “Land of Fire” at the southernmost tip of Latin America.

The HISPASAT infosite is located at http://www.hispasat.es/

The Space Systems/Loral infosite is located at http://www.sslmda.com/