Thales Alenia Space announced that it has signed a new geosynchronous (GEO) communications satellite contract with OverHorizon with offices in the USA, Sweden and Cyprus. The spacecraft will carry an on-board processing payload provided by Thales Alenia Space, mounted  on Orbital Sciences Corporation (Orbital)’s STARTM 2.3 satellite platform  Both Thales Alenia Space and Orbital will share in the contract responsibilities as co-prime partners and the satellite will be delivered in early 2012.

The OverHorizon satellite provides a regenerative system for broadband communication via the satellite to, from and between small, inexpensive user terminals (“the Regenerative Communication System”) installed on moving vehicles, such as cars, trucks, boats, airplanes, etc. The application field is one of the most promising in the future of satellite communications and services.

”Thales Alenia Space, as worldwide leader in satcom payload, is proud to contribute to OverHorizon with cutting-edge payload  technologies to provide  efficient, regenerative and transparent capacity. This innovative flexible payload, which relies on Thales Alenia Space in-orbit heritage and proven performance, will offer OverHorizon a position to be a decisive contender at the market with a highly versatile and adaptable mission, perfectly suited to their customers’ expectation” said Mr. Emmanuel Grave, Telecommunications Executive Vice-President for Thales Alenia Space. Great satisfaction was expressed also by  Mr. Michael Larkin, Orbital’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of its Space Systems Group, and Mr. James Gerow, President of OverHorizon.

Sources: Thales Alenia Space, OverHorizon, Orbital Science