Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that Avanti Communications Group plc. (Avanti) has awarded the company a firm contract to build the HYLAS 4 broadband communications satellite. Based on Orbital’s GEOStar-3™ satellite platform, the HYLAS 4 satellite will be designed, manufactured and tested at Orbital’s satellite manufacturing facility in Dulles, VA. The satellite will deliver up to 28 GHz of capacity in 66 fixed beams positioned over Africa and Europe. A portion of the HYLAS 4 capacity will provide growth for Avanti’s existing markets with the remainder available for initiating service to new coverage areas. HYLAS 4 is designed with four steerable beams that also could serve markets in Latin America or Africa. It is planned for launch by Arianespace in early 2017. HYLAS 4 will be the 27th Orbital-built satellite launched into orbit aboard an Ariane rocket.
Mr. David Williams, Avanti’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are pleased to have awarded a contract to Orbital as the manufacturer of our fourth communications satellite. Orbital did an excellent job providing us with the HYLAS 2 spacecraft, our first high-throughput all-Ka-band satellite, which has outperformed its technical specifications since its launch in 2012. We are pleased to once again count on a trusted supplier for the new HYLAS 4 satellite. Orbital’s GEOStar-3 satellite platform, with its enhanced payload capabilities, will help Avanti significantly expand its satellite fleet and services in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.”
The HYLAS 4 satellite’s payload will offer Ka-band services across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with significantly more capacity than the HYLAS 2 satellite that Orbital built and delivered for Avanti in 2012. In addition, the GEOStar-3-based HYLAS 4 spacecraft will provide Avanti the benefits of higher payload capability while still maintaining advantageous launch costs.
Commenting on the new contract award, Mr. David W. Thompson, Orbital’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said, “Orbital is honored and thrilled to be selected by David Williams and his team at Avanti to build their new HYLAS 4 satellite. This high-throughput/light-weight satellite will set a new standard for affordability and flexibility in its class, while also providing the high quality and dependability of Orbital’s reliable GEOStar product line of over 45 geosynchronous spacecraft built or in production for many of the world’s leading operators. We look forward to contributing to Avanti’s future growth with the HYLAS 4 project.”
Orbital’s highly successful communications satellites are based on the company’s GEOStar satellite platform, which is able to accommodate all types of commercial communications payloads. The GEOStar design is optimized for satellite missions requiring up to 8 kilowatts of payload power. The affordable GEOStar-2 and GEOStar-3 satellite platforms can be built and delivered on schedules that are among the shortest in the industry.
About Avanti Communications
Avanti Communications is a “carriers’ carrier,” selling wholesale data telecoms products to service providers, which use them to create networks for enterprise, carrier, government and consumer users. Avanti’s network consists of two high-throughput satellites in orbit, HYLAS 1 and HYLAS 2, a multiband satellite called Artemis, plus a fourth and a fifth satellite in construction called HYLAS 3 and HYLAS 4, as well as an international fibre network connecting data centres in several countries. Avanti Communications has GEO satellite network spectrum filings in the ITU Master Register for Ka-band at 33.5° West and 31.0° East and for Ka, Ku, S and L-band at 21.5° East. Avanti Communications serves customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Visit www.avantiplc.com.
About Orbital
Orbital develops and manufactures small- and medium-class rockets and space systems for commercial, military and civil government customers. The company’s primary products are satellites and launch vehicles, including low-Earth orbit, geosynchronous-Earth orbit and planetary exploration spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific and defense missions; human-rated space systems for Earth-orbit, lunar and other missions; ground- and air-launched rockets that deliver satellites into orbit; and missile defense systems that are used as interceptor and target vehicles. Orbital also provides satellite subsystems and space-related technical services to U.S. Government agencies and laboratories. More information about Orbital can be found at www.orbital.com. Follow the company on Twitter @OrbitalSciences.
