Eutelsat’s Airbus-Built Full Electric EUTELSAT 172B Satellite Reaches Geostationary Orbit
11 Oktober 2017 - 11:24AM
Business Wire
New telecommunications satellite has completed first electric
orbit raising for a high capacity satellite in just four
months since launch in June
Regulatory News:
The EUTELSAT 172B spacecraft, built by Airbus for Eutelsat
(Paris:ETL), one of the world’s leading satellite operators, has
now reached geostationary orbit, breaking the record for the
fastest satellite electric orbit raising (EOR).
EUTELSAT 172B was launched by Ariane 5 from Kourou, in French
Guiana, on 1 June. The Airbus spacecraft control centre in Toulouse
took control for early operations, initialisation, deployment of
the solar array and electric propulsion arms, and completed initial
testing prior to starting the Electric Orbit Raising phase on 8
June. During this four-month phase, electric thrusters smoothly and
efficiently propelled the satellite to the targeted orbit,
consuming almost six times less propellant mass than for a
satellite with chemical propulsion.
Following completion of the payload in-orbit tests and drift to
its operational location led by the Eutelsat team, EUTELSAT 172B is
scheduled to enter commercial service in November to provide
enhanced telecommunications, in-flight broadband and broadcast
services for the Asia-Pacific region. Its life span is expected to
exceed 15 years thanks to electric propulsion for in-orbit raising
and station-keeping.
“We are the first company to demonstrate full electric
propulsion for satellites of this size and capacity, enabling their
launch in the most cost-efficient manner. Furthermore, with our
system design, operation strategy and the plasma thruster
technology we implement, we have completed the fastest electric
orbit raising ever from transfer to geostationary orbit, which will
allow Eutelsat to put their electric satellite in service in a
record time,” said Nicolas Chamussy, Head of Space Systems at
Airbus.
Yohann Leroy, Eutelsat’s Chief Technical Officer, added:
“EUTELSAT 172B confirms the relevance of Eutelsat’s early adoption
of electric propulsion technology to optimise capex. In combining
electric propulsion, High Throughput capacity, robotic arms and 3D
printing techniques, our new satellite also reflects Europe’s
capability to push the envelope of innovation in order to increase
the competitiveness of our business. We look forward to bringing
EUTELSAT 172B into service next month for our clients in the
Asia-Pacific region.”
EUTELSAT 172B combines 13 kW of payload power with a launch mass
of only 3,550 kg, thanks to the latest EOR version of Airbus’
highly reliable Eurostar E3000 platform.
EOR success and record was made possible by two Airbus
innovations:
- A pair of deployable robotic arms which
orientate the satellite’s electric propulsion thrusters, and
control thrust direction and attitude during different phases of
the mission.
- The WALIS (Wide Angle Localisation
Integrated System) network of ground stations around the world,
developed by Airbus, which has enabled engineers to control orbit
raising operations until the satellite reached geostationary
orbit.
The development of Airbus’ Eurostar all-electric satellites has
been supported by ESA and space agencies of European countries, in
particular in France by the CNES in the framework of the PIA
programme (Plan d’Investissements d’Avenir) and in the UK by the UK
Space Agency.
About Eutelsat CommunicationsFounded in 1977, Eutelsat
Communications is one of the world's leading satellite operators.
With a global fleet of satellites and associated ground
infrastructure, Eutelsat enables clients across Video, Data,
Government, Fixed and Mobile Broadband markets to communicate
effectively to their customers, irrespective of their location.
Over 6,600 television channels operated by leading media groups are
broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH
reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Headquartered in
Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat
assembles 1,000 men and women from 32 countries who are dedicated
to delivering the highest quality of service.Eutelsat
Communications is listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange
(ticker: ETL).For more about Eutelsat go to www.eutelsat.com
www.eutelsat.com – @Eutelsat_SA and
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Eutelsat CommunicationsPressVanessa O’Connor, Tel: + 33 1
53 98 37 91voconnor@eutelsat.comorMarie-Sophie Ecuer, Tel: + 33 1
53 98 37 91mecuer@eutelsat.comorInvestors and analystsJoanna
Darlington, Tel. : +33 1 53 98 35
30jdarlington@eutelsat.comorCédric Pugni, Tel. : +33 1 53 98 35
30cpugni@eutelsat.com
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