The HOT BIRD 6 TV broadcasting satellite, built for Eutelsat by Alcatel Space, has arrived in Cape Canaveral and is now being readied for planned launch at the end of next month on an Atlas booster delivered by ILS. The satellite was shipped from Alcatel Space’s Cannes plant in southern France on June 12.
Built by Alcatel Space as prime contractor, responsible for both the platform and the payload, HOT BIRD 6 extends a long-established partnership with Eutelsat, started over 15 years ago.
Based on Alcatel Space’s Spacebus 3000B3 platform, HOT BIRD 6 is fitted with 32 transponders (28 Ku-band, 4 Ka-band) and eight Skyplex units for onboard multiplexing. The satellite will be copositioned at 13 degrees East with other HOT BIRD satellites belonging to Eutelsat, and will enable the company to optimize and expand its service offering from this prime slot for TV broadcasting to cable and satellite homes in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. It will also be the first satellite in Europe to combine Ka-band frequencies with onboard multiplexing for micro-television broadcasting.
Assembled and integrated by Alcatel Space at its Cannes and Toulouse facilities, HOT BIRD 6 will weigh about 3,900 kg at launch. It will have beginning-of-life electrical power of 10,5 kW, and a design life exceeding 12 years.
About Alcatel Space
Alcatel Space ranks among the world’s leading space systems prime contractors. Leveraging its dual expertise in civil and military applications, Alcatel Space develops satellite technology solutions for telecommunications, navigation, optical and radar observation, meteorology, and scientific applications. The company is also Europe’s number one prime contractor for Earth observation, meteorology and navigation ground segments, as well as space systems operations. A fully-owned subsidiary of Alcatel (100%), Alcatel Space generated 2001 revenues of 1.4 billion Euros and has 6,600 employees. For more information, please visit our website at
About Alcatel
Alcatel (Paris : CGEP.PA and NYSE : ALA) designs, develops and builds innovative and competitive communications networks, enabling carriers, service providers and enterprises to deliver any type of content, such as voice, data and multimedia, to any type of consumer, anywhere in the world. Relying on its leading and comprehensive products and solutions portfolio, stretching from end-to-end optical infrastructures, fixed and mobile networks to broadband access, Alcatel’s customers can focus on optimizing their service offerings and revenue streams. With sales of EURO 25 billion in 2001 and 99,000 employees, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet: http://www.alcatel.com
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