Space Systems Loral (SSL), a leading provider of innovative satellites and spacecraft systems, today announced that its second high performance satellite designed and built for Australia’s national broadband network (nbn™) has arrived at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, where it will be launched aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle by Arianespace. The satellite, called Sky Muster II will be used in conjunction with the first Sky Muster satellite, to provide high-speed broadband service to more than 200,000 Australians.
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“It has been very gratifying to work together with our colleagues in Australia to help establish a satellite service that brings high speed internet to underserved users anywhere in Australia,” said John Celli, president of SSL. “SSL is a leader in building broadband satellites that are used for services that improve people’s lives and open new opportunities for education, healthcare and economic development, and we commend the government of Australia for assuring that all of its citizens have this type of access.”
Like the first nbn satellite, also built by SSL and launched last year, Sky Muster II is a Ka-band, high-throughput broadband satellite that uses multiple spot beams in an advanced design that optimizes bandwidth for Australia’s widely distributed population. Together, the two satellites provide advanced services to Australia’s most difficult to reach citizens, including those in mainland Australia and Tasmania, as well as those on offshore islands including Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Lord Howe Island, Cocos, and Macquarie Island in the Antarctic.
“The Sky Muster™ service is intended to be a game changer for the way people work, learn and live in regional and remote Australia,” said Bill Morrow, chief executive officer of nbn. “SSL has been an excellent partner in the development of our satellites, and the first Sky Muster satellite is operating well. Now we look forward to continuing to work together as we prepare for the launch of the second satellite.”
Sky Muster II is based on the powerful SSL 1300 platform, which provides the flexibility for a broad range of applications and advanced technologies. The SSL 1300 is the world’s leading platform for broadband HTS service.
About nbn
nbn was established in 2009 to implement the Australian Government’s policy initiative to design, build, and operate Australia’s broadband network to provide access to high speed broadband to all Australian premises. nbn is a wholly-owned Commonwealth company that has been prescribed as a Government Business Enterprise (GBE) and is represented by “Shareholder Ministers” — the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and the Minister of Finance and Deregulation. The organization’s goal is to deliver Australia’s first national wholesale-only, open access broadband network to all Australians, regardless of where they live. For more information, visit: www.nbn.com.au.
About SSL
Space Systems Loral (SSL) is a leading provider of commercial satellites with broad expertise to support satellite operators and innovative space related missions. The company designs and manufactures spacecraft for services such as direct-to-home television, video content distribution, broadband internet, mobile communications, and Earth observation. As a Silicon Valley innovator for more than 50 years, SSL’s advanced product line also includes state-of-the-art small satellites, and sophisticated robotics and automation solutions for remote operations. For more information, visit www.sslmda.com.
