Aerospatiale's Spacebus has broadened its horizons outside Europe.
Tim Furniss/LONDON
AEROSPATIALE'S FIRST Spacebus 3000 satellite, the Arabsat 2A, was launched on 9 July. Although the 3000 made a big impact on the international market in 1995, its progress came to an abrupt halt in 1996, partly because of the uncertainty about the company's space division's proposed merger with Daimler-Benz Aerospace (DASA). During this period, its main European competitor Matra Marconi Space (MMS) progressed with its Eurostars and, in June, introduced a new model, also known as the 3000 series (Flight International, 14-20 August).
Aerospatiale was awarded contracts in 1995 to build seven Spacebus 3000s for the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand and the European satellite-communications organisation, Eutelsat, with seven further options. The company already had orders for two Arabsat 2s and the Sinosat 1, based on the 3000 bus.
The Spacebus 3000 is larger and more powerful than previous models. It is well placed to compete in the increasingly high-power, high-capacity, diverse communications-satellite market, particularly in the Asia Pacific region.
The craft was derived from the French-German TV Sat and TDF projects and from Sweden's Tele X satellite. These large hybrid 2,400kg platforms became known as the Spacebus 300, and were launched in 1987-90. They were built by the Eurosatellite consortium, of Aerospatiale and Germany's MBB, later to become part of DASA, which is a key member of the Spacebus team sharing system responsibility.
For the Spacebus programme, Aerospatiale is responsible for structure, thermal control, power conditioning and antennas, while DASA provides attitude- and orbit-control systems, propulsion and antenna electrical design.
The Spacebus 3000, a larger, more capable and flexible spacecraft bus than the 300, offers a launch weight range of 2,500-4,400kg, and a maximum electrical-power generation at end of life of 9kW, although the option of the highest weight and electrical-power potential has yet to be exercised by a customer. Its maximum payload could consist of up to 32 high-power Ku-band transponders or a mix of 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders. Its communications payload is in the 260kg-class. The satellite is built around two main modules - the service one and and that of the communications payload, with the solar array and graphite epoxy, carbonfibre composite and Kevlar antennas added. The craft incorporates new design innovations, including shaped, dual-grid, antennas.
Payloads may include solid-state power amplifiers and travelling-wave-tube amplifiers. The spacecraft features three-axis stabilisation during transfer to geostationary orbit (GEO) and in GEO, an option which is not always available to customers, which provides higher reliability. The Spacebus 3000 can offer a 16-year operational design life. This compares with the 14 years offered by the smaller Spacebus 2000.
Aerospatiale has taken time to establish itself internationally as a satellite contractor, since it won the Arabsat 1 contract for three satellites in 1981. The Arab Satellite Communications Organisation's Arabsat 1s were the first Spacebus 1000 craft, originally called the Eurosatellite Spacebus 100.
A typical Spacebus 1000, such as the Arabsat 1, weighs up to 1,500kg and carries 25 C-band transponders. The craft offers a design life of only seven years. No further Spacebus 1000s are in production, although the vehicles are being internationally promoted where appropriate, by Aerospatiale.
EUTELSAT RELIANCE
The company initially relied largely on Eutelsat for its Spacebus business. It provided five Eutelsat 2s - one of which, was lost in a launch failure - and a sixth, renamed the Hot Bird 1. These were based on the Spacebus 2000, a typical model of which weighs up to 2,500kg and carries up to 18 Ku-band transponders. It offers a design life of 8.5 years. The later Eutelsat 2s carry 16 Ku-band transponders. The Spacebus 2000 is also being supplied to Turkey for the Turksat project, in a $315 million contract, which also includes the ground-station network. The Turksat 1A was lost in a launch failure and a replacement, the Turksat 1C, ordered. This was launched on 9 July. The Turksat 1B is in orbit and carries 16 Ku-band transponders.
An important success came with the award of a contract to build the Nahuel satellite - also a Spacebus 2000, carrying 18 Ku-band transponders - for Argentina in 1993. The contract was contrived, however, since the "customer", Nahuelsat, which was awarded a licence by the Argentinian Government to operate a turnkey domestic telecommunications system, is actually a consortium led by Aerospatiale, with DASA and Alenia.
In 1993, Aerospatiale was awarded a $257.9 million contract to build its first Spacebus 3000, called the Arabsat 2, for the Arab Satellite Communications Organisation. The contract had fallen into Aerospatiale's lap when the original winner, Hughes, failed to agree terms for the contract. The Arabsat 2 weighs 2,350kg at launch, and generates 5kW for its 22 C-band, 12 Ku-band, transponder payload. The Arabsat 2A was launched by the Arianespace Ariane 4 on 9 July, and the second will also fly on an Ariane.
The true international breakthrough came in January 1995, when Thailand selected a Spacebus 3000 as the new Thaicom 3 satellite under a $200 million contract. This contract, signed with Shinawatra, is the first Aerospatiale has signed with a private company. The contract includes a ground-control centre and the elements of a replacement satellite.
The Thaicom 3 weighs 2,500kg at launch and generates 5.4kW of power for its 24 C-band and 14 Ku-band transponder payload. The parts for an optional second satellite are also being produced.
In June 1995, Aerospatiale was selected by the Philippines Agila satellite organisation to build a prime satellite, a ground spare (which will probably be launched) and two ground-control stations. The Agila spacecraft will weigh 2,450kg at launch on the Ariane 4. They generate 4.8kW and are equipped with 26 C-band and 12 Ku-band transponders.
In July 1996, Aerospatiale netted some additional business for the Spacebus 3000 when Nordiska Satellitakiebolaget, a Norwegian-Swedish consortium, ordered a Sirius 2 satellite. This will be located at 5¡E longitude after launch by an Ariane in July 1997. It weighs 2,880kg at launch, generates 5.8kW and is equipped with 32 Ku-band transponders. The communications payload for a second, optional, satellite is also being produced.
That same month, in a $1 billion procurement, Eutelsat ordered five new satellites, including for the first time a craft from Russia. Another satellite was ordered from MMS, while three craft - plus an option for four more - were ordered from Aerospatiale for the Eutelsat 3 project under a contract worth $600 million. The Eutelsat 3s will weigh 2,700kg at launch. Electrical power will be about 6kW. The tenth satellite, the Sinosat 1, is being built for the EurasSpace consortium of DASA and the China Aerospace Consortium.
FURTHER SPACEBUS BUSINESS
An Alcatel/Aerospatiale team won a $350 million contract in July 1992 to build two Spacebus 3000 satellites for Iran, each equipped with 14 Ku-band transponders. The contract has not yet been signed.
Another Aerospatiale Spacebus 3000 will be used as the base platform for the lighter-weight, 1,800kg, French communications-technology satellite, the Stentor, to be launched on an Ariane in 1999. The other French industry partners are MMS and Alcatel. The technologies developed for the satellite will enable Aerospatiale to introduce a new model, the 3000E, which will include the Russian/French, Fakel/Societe, Europeenne de Propulsion electric propulsion system, the STP Mark 2.
Source: Flight International
