Mitsubishi has become the first Japanese company to win a prime contract to build a communications satellite for an international customer, beating Hughes and France's Alcatel in the final bid.
An official announcement is expected soon, confirming the Japanese firm has secured the $312 million contract from Australia's Cable and Wireless Optus to build and deliver in orbit the 5,000kg (2,270lb), 12kW Optus C1 communications satellite. Previous Optus craft have been built by Hughes.
Space Systems/Loral is expected to supply the spacecraft bus and will arrange the launch in 2001. Loral has launch reservations on the uprated Japanese H2A.
Source: Flight International
