Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems has won a contract to build a second New Skies Satellites (NSS) spacecraft (pictured), designated NSS-6 and to be launched in 2002. The communications satellite will provide interactive broadband multimedia communications services and direct-to-home broadcasting to a coverage area stretching from the Mediterranean and Johannesburg to Tokyo and Sidney. The Lockheed A2100 spacecraft series satellite will be equipped with 60 ku-band transponders. Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications is the largest shareholder in NSS, which was spun off from Intelsat in 1998. Another satellite, to be designated NSS-7, is already under construction at Lockheed, for launch in 2001.
Source: Flight International