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The telecommunication satellite project for Nepal has been launched

Thales Alenia Space to support Nepal in its official entry into the space community

 

Cannes, March 11th, 2019 - The Nepal Telecommunications Authority and Thales Alenia Space, a Joint Venture between Thales (67 %) and Leonardo (33 %),  have signed today an agreement under which Thales Alenia Space will build the national satellite telecommunication system for Nepal. This agreement is following the Letter of Intent previously signed on March 5 in Paris by the Honorable Minister of Communication & Information Technology of Nepal, Mr Gokul Prasad Baskota, and the Honorable Secretary of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Mr Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.

This very high-performance C/Ku Band satellite, yet to be named by Nepal, is to be launched by 2022 and to be positioned at the 123.3° E orbital slot reserved for Nepal by ITU. It will be based on the SpaceBus National Satellite System solution developed by Thales Alenia Space.

The main mission is to make high-speed internet available throughout Nepal, spearheading services such as telemedicine, e-learning, e-government, disaster management, information technologies, agriculture, tourism, hydropower and other value-added services, along with the provisions of Direct-to-Home television and mobile phone backhauling. The ubiquitous and versatile communication services provided by the satellite are primarily targeted at reducing the digital divide, especially in the underserved rural areas.

“It is a privilege for Thales Alenia Space to have been selected by Nepal Telecommunications Authority for providing its national satellite.  We believe the project  will be a key asset to bridge the digital divide and a strong vector of economic growth. We are also thrilled to embark into this long term cooperation with Nepal and support the country develop its space capabilities and services for the benefit of all its citizens” declared Eric Imbert, Sales Vice-President for Thales Alenia Space.

The Honorable Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Mr Gokul Prasad Baskota, added : “To successfully compete with other countries, to give high speed internet to all our citizens and to be recognized regionally, we want Nepal to accelerate its pace on the way to digitization. No one must be left behind on this path. Our National Satellite will help us jump into a better future. We found in Thales Alenia Space an impressive expertise and a strong partnership spirit that match our ambition to be self-dependent, make self-identity in space technology and to pace towards prosperity of digital Nepal”

About Thales Alenia Space

Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources, and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of services. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of about 2.5 billion euros in 2018 and has around 8,000 employees in nine countrieswww.thalesaleniaspace.com

 

Thales Alenia Space – Press Contacts:

Sandrine Bielecki    
Tel: +33 (0)492 927 094    
sandrine.bielecki@thalesaleniaspace.com

Chrystelle Dugimont
Tel: +33 (0)492 927 406
chrystelle.dugimont@thalesaleniaspace.com

Cinzia Marcanio    
Tel: +39 (0)641 512 685             
cinzia.marcanio@thalesaleniaspace.com

 

About Nepal Telecommunications Authority www.nta.gov.np.

NTA Contact media : Mr Deepesh Acharya, dacharya@nta.gov.np