Spanish satellite operator Hispasat has cancelled its construction contract with Orbital Sciences for the Amazonas 4B satellite and has instead tapped Space Systems Loral to build an expanded spacecraft called Amazonas 5.
Hispasat said the new satellite…
Spanish satellite operator Hispasat has cancelled its construction contract with Orbital Sciences for the Amazonas 4B satellite and has instead tapped Space Systems Loral to build an expanded spacecraft called Amazonas 5.
Hispasat said the new satellite both redefines the original Amazonas 4B mission and covers the full capacity of the Amazonas 4A, which suffered an anomaly shortly after its launch back in March.
Based on SSL’s 1300 platform, Amazonas 5 will be equipped with 35 Ka-band beams and 24 Ku-band transponders covering South America. The Ka-band payload will be used for broadband services in South America, Central America and Mexico, while the Ku-band payload will be for fixed satellite services, including video, corporate networks and other telecoms applications.
The satellite is due to be launched in 2017, though a launch services provider has yet to be selected.
Hispasat ordered Amazonas 4A and 4B from Orbital in June 2012, with the former to be launched in 2014 and the latter in 2015.
The satellites were to be co-located at 61W and based on Orbital’s GEOStar-2 bus. Amazonas 4A is equipped with 24 Ku-band transponders while 4B was intended to be more powerful, although the final design was to be determined later depending on market requirements.
Following a successful launch on 22 March, Amazonas 4A experienced a problem with its power subsystem. The anomaly is expected to reduce its transponder capacity by around half. A partial insurance claim in the region of US$100m is believed to have been made.
Amazonas 5 will be the fourth satellite that SSL will build for Hispasat. It is currently constructing Hispasat 1F, which is due to be launched to 30W in 2016.
The satellite operator has secured a €123m (US$159m) loan from Export Development Canada to fund the project. The export credit agency said at the time that the satellite fits its criteria because Canada’s MDA owns US-based SSL.
