Advanced Television

Airbus

Telsat, Airbus sign LEO MoU

Canadian atellite operator, Telesat, has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus SAS to collaborate on the integration of the Telesat Lightspeed low earth orbit (LEO) network within the Airbus HBCplus Ka-band solution portfolio. Airbus launched its HBCplus satellite connectivity solution as a supplier-furnished line-fit catalogue option and also for retrofit on all […]

October 28, 2024

Airbus Defence & Space to lay off 2,500

Airbus Defence & Space is having a tough time. It has, in the past, confirmed that it is facing a challenging business environment, and now says it will “streamline the organisation to enhance the Division’s future competitiveness”. The direct consequence will be some 2,500 staff axed. Airbus said: “[the pressures] especially in the Space Systems […]

October 17, 2024By Chris Forrester

Confusion over IRIS2 bids

Airbus Defence & Space and Thales Alenia Space, which were once part of the IRIS2 SpaceRISE consortium bidding for a mega-constellation of low Earth satellites, have submitted separate bids to build the satellites and submitted their proposals to the remaining members of the consortium, according to a report by La Tribune. The principal remaining members […]

September 17, 2024By Chris Forrester

Iris 2 risks collapse

The IRIS2 consortium, which is seeking to build a satellite mega-constellation on behalf of the European Commission, looks as if it is on the verge of collapse. French newspaper La Tribune says that due to risk assessment, Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Space, the subsidiaries of the two European aerospace giants, have sent a letter […]

July 17, 2024By Chris Forrester

German army orders Airbus satellites

The European Commission wants to build a new satellite constellation called IRIS2. A consortium (SpaceRise) has submitted its best and final bid to secure the contract to build the highly-secure system which will be targeted at military, governmental and potentially consumer users. However, Germany has not been keen on the proposal and has issued very […]

July 8, 2024By Chris Forrester

Airbus: Major space division problems

Airbus Space & Defence has problems. Unlike its major rival Boeing, there’s nothing wrong with its A320 aircraft production, but Airbus’s troubled space division has implemented a €900 million write down in charges – effectively losses against its Q2 2024 revenues – and Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said a thorough review has led to a […]

June 25, 2024By Chris Forrester

Airbus wins 2 satellite order from Yahsat

Abu Dhabi-based satellite operator Yahsat has ordered two satellites to be built by Airbus Defence & Space. The two new craft, Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5, will be based on the Airbus Eurostar Neo concept, with flexible payloads. The flexible multi-band payloads can be fully reconfigured while in orbit, capable of adjusting the […]

June 10, 2024By Chris Forrester

Japanese Consortium invests $100m in AALTO

A consortium of Japanese businesses led by NTT Docomo and Space Compass, together with Mizuho Bank and the Development Bank of Japan, has committed to invest $100 million (€92.2m) in Airbus subsidiary AALTO, which manufactures and operates the stratospheric, solar-powered Zephyr High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS). The investment will be made through the Japanese Consortium’s […]

June 3, 2024

Intelsat signs Condor Airlines, Japan Airlines deals

Intelsat has launched high-speed inflight connectivity service on the first of more than 40 new Condor Airlines’ Airbus narrowbody aircraft following an agreement that includes factory installation by Airbus. “Intelsat’s 2Ku service will deliver streaming-quality connectivity for passengers even in busy European airspace,” said Dave Bijur, Senior Vice President of Commercial Aviation. “The factory installation […]

May 29, 2024

Demand for Geo-satellites drops

The Satellite 2024 conference in Washington opened with its regular panel of satellite manufacturing executives. They admitted that demand for their geostationary craft had dropped. Chris Johnson, CEO at Maxar Space, agreed that demand for geostationary satellites had certainly declined but was far from dead: “It is evolving,” he told delegates, and estimated that the […]

March 20, 2024By Chris Forrester