Alcatel and Loral Space and Communications are planning to form a new company, EuropeStar. Initially, it will operate two Alcatel-built communications satellites co-located at 45í in geostationary (GEO) orbit.
Launches are scheduled to take place in 2000 and 2002, and the satellites will serve Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, India and South-East Asia.
The venture, which will be headquartered in London, with offices in Germany and France, has other slots in GEO at 43°E and 47.5°E. EuropeStar will offer Ku-band capacity for direct-to-home Internet access and high-speed data communications services.
It will become part of the Loral Global Alliance, a network comprising the satellite capacity of Loral Skynet, Loral Orion and Mexico's Satmex.
Source: Flight International
