Saab Ericsson
Space has been awarded contracts from Alcatel concerning Eutelsat’s
Atlantic Bird 2 and HotBird 6 spacecraft.
The responsibilities include central data management units, remote
data units and TT&C antennas. Hotbird 6 will also be equipped with a
RF sensing system. Deliveries will take place during 2001.
The satellites are suited to provide telecommunications services
and the launches are scheduled to 2001.
Saab Ericsson Space is an well-experienced designer and
manufacturer of space equipment for communications satellites and over
the years more than 60 satellites have been provided with command and
data handling systems. Saab Ericsson Space is Alcatel’s principle
supplier of C&DH and earlier contracts include Astra 1K, Arabsat 3,
Eurasiasat and Eutelsat W24 among others.
Saab Ericsson Space has also a long tradition of developing
antennas and microwave electronics with over 100 manufactured systems.
The TT&C antenna is to be used for telecomand and telemetry. The
recently developed RF- sensing system will use the uplink signal from
ground to determine the pointing of the satellite with an accuracy of
14 mdeg. This is far more accurately than other systems normally used
in commercial satellites today. The lifetime is estimated to 15 years.
The newly developed equipment is flexible and can easily be adapted to
fit other large Ku-band or Ka-band satellites in the future.
Saab Ericsson Space is an independent supplier of space equipment.
The company develops and manufactures computers, antenna systems,
microwave electronics, guidance and separation systems for launch
vehicles, satellites and other spacecraft, and is world market leader
in a number of its product areas.
The headquarters is located in Göteborg. The company has a
division at Saab in Linköping and subsidiaries in Austria and the USA.
Employees number 650 and more than half of them hold master’s or
doctor’s degrees in engineering.
The company is owned by Saab and Ericsson.
Saab is northern Europe’s leading high technology company, mainly
active in the defence, aviation and space industry, and offers
advanced products and systems based on sophisticated information
technology. The business areas within Saab are Infomatics, Aerospace,
Dynamics, Technical Support and Services, Space and Aviation Services.
Ericsson is the leading communications supplier, combining
innovation in mobility and Internet in creating the new era of Mobile
Internet. Ericsson provides total solutions covering everything from
systems and applications to mobile phones and other communications
tools.
