Thales Alenia Space’s new-generation electronics from Belgium chosen for the Electra platform
Developed in a public-private partnership (PPP) by the operator SES, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the German space agency DLR, Electra is a generic geostationary platform with all-electric propulsion. It will have a payload capacity of 300 kilograms, with up to 3 kW of power, and offers a design life of up to 15 years.
These products are developed in Belgium by Thales Alenia Space, within the scope of ESA’s ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems) project. They meet the requirements of all-electric versions of new-generation European geostationary satellite platforms, designed to address operator expectations for competitiveness, flexibility and multi-launcher compatibility.
“Thales Alenia Space, which counts on its subsidiaries to expand its market reach and enhance its technical content through various centers of expertise, already develops most of the electronics for the Spacebus Neo platform in Belgium,” said Emmanuel Terrasse, Chief Executive Officer of Thales Alenia Space’s Belgian unit. “Today, OHB is entrusting us with this responsibility. Thanks to productive teamwork, our new products will deliver unprecedented performance, competitiveness, flexibility and lightness. They also reflect the contribution of Belgium’s delegation to ESA programs. In fact, it’s thanks to Belgium’s long-term investment in telecommunications that we have built up expertise in space electronics that is unrivaled in Europe.”
*The new products developed by Thales Alenia Space through the ARTES program are as follows:
- PCU NG, a new-generation Power Conditioning Unit, the satellite’s electrical core, which handles the conversion and management of electrical power from the solar panels, as well as battery charge and discharge management (23 kW).
- DCU (Drive Control Unit), a modular device that controls the antenna and solar array steering motors.
- PPU Mk3 (Power Processing Unit). Newly qualified, this unit is compatible with all plasma (electric) thrusters now available on the market (5 kW). The PPU Mk3 controls the thrusters used for orbital positioning and station keeping on the new generation of all-electric telecom satellites.
Picture : from left to right
- Mrs Zuhal Demi, Belgium Stet Secretary in charge of the Belgian Space Policy
- Mr Guy Perez, Chief Technical Officer, OHB System AG
- Mr; Emmanuel Terrasse, Chief Executive Officer, Thales Alenia Space Belgium
- Mr Etienne Desmarez, Marketing, Sales & Business Development
About Thales Alenia Space
Thales Alenia Space brings over 40 years of experience to the design, integration, testing and operation of innovative space systems for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. 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 and solutions. Thales Alenia Space has built up unrivaled expertise in dual (civil-military) missions, constellations, flexible high-throughput payloads, altimetry, meteorology, and high-resolution radar and optical observation. The company capitalizes on its strong legacy, while also making innovation a key to its strategy. By offering a continuous stream of new products and expanding its global footprint, Thales Alenia Space has established its leadership in today’s fast-evolving space sector. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of about 2.4 billion euros in 2016 and has 7,980 employees in nine countries. www.thalesaleniaspace.com
Thales Alenia Space Press Contacts:
Sandrine Bielecki
Phone: +33 (0)4 92 92 70 94
sandrine.bielecki@thalesaleniaspace.com
Chrystelle Dugimont
Phone: +33 (0)4 92 92 74 06
chrystelle.dugimont@thalesaleniaspace.com
Thales Alenia Space in Belgium
Thales Alenia Space in Belgium is the country’s largest manufacturer of space electronics and a world leader in electronic supplies for satellites. Almost 200 programmes have already been put into orbit with equipment from the company on board. The company also supplies 50 % of the electronics on the Ariane 5 launcher and the backup chain for Ariane 6 and Soyuz. Almost 700 people work on the sites in Mont-sur-Marchienne (Charleroi) and Leuven.
Press Contact:
Mélanie Catoir
Phone: +32 (0)71 44 26 29
melanie.catoir@thalesaleniaspace.com