The start of the year has seen two significant RfPs issued for brokers to place insurance on new Ka-band satellites.
Hughes Network Systems is seeking to mandate a broker for its Jupiter satellite. The next-generation spacecraft, which is being built by…
The start of the year has seen two significant RfPs issued for brokers to place insurance on new Ka-band satellites.
Hughes Network Systems is seeking to mandate a broker for its Jupiter satellite. The next-generation spacecraft, which is being built by Space Systems Loral, is due to be launched by Arianespace in the first half of 2012, and will provide 100 gigabits per second of throughput data capacity to North America.
Marsh placed the insurance for HNS’ existing Spaceway-3 satellite. Meanwhile, National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co), the Australian government-owned entity tasked with providing universal broadband coverage across the country, has sent out an RfP for its two planned Ka-band satellites.
The company, which has estimated the satellites would cost in the region of A$500m each to build, launch and insure, also has an RfP out with potential satellite manufacturers. A decision on both the broker and prime vendor is expected imminently.
ISB won the tender to place the launch plus one insurance placement for Asia Broadcast Satellite’s forthcoming ABS-2 satellite. The decision was made at the end of the year. The broker is likely to be in the market shortly, as ABS is thought to be looking to move the process along. The satellite operator is believed to be in the process of securing a US$250m highyield bond which would be used to fund the new SS/L built bird.
