Three satellite manufacturers have made it to the final round of a tender to build a Ka-band bird for Brazilian joint venture Visiona Tecnologia Espacial.
Proposals by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Melco), Space Systems / Loral (SS/L) and Thales…
Three satellite manufacturers have made it to the final round of a tender to build a Ka-band bird for Brazilian joint venture Visiona Tecnologia Espacial.
Proposals by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Melco), Space Systems / Loral (SS/L) and Thales Alenia Space were selected from a total of eight to potentially build the spacecraft.
Visiona, which was formed last year by bringing together Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer and incumbent telco Telebras, is eyeing a launch in 2015.
Its R$716m (US$356m) satellite will support the government’s national broadband plan, providing telecoms services to underserved areas of the country. Around a fifth of its capacity will be designated for military purposes in the X-band.
Visiona, which is 51%-owned by Embraer with Telebras owning the rest, also plans to launch a meteorological satellite by 2018, and has vowed to one day develop its own spacecraft. It aims to initially focus on spacecraft for Brazil’s Federal government, including telecoms satellites and those for military applications.
Satellite operators have been clambering to expand in Brazil and Latin America as demand for capacity in the region soars.
US satellite broadcaster DirecTV is understood to be close to ordering a new satellite for its Brazilian DTH subsidiary Sky Brasil, while its US counterpart EchoStar has said that it could launch DTH services in the country.
The emerging market is seen as a compelling growth opportunity for operators as more households subscribe to pay-TV services. A surge in demand is also expected when Brazil hosts the football World Cup in 2014, and Olympic Games in 2016.
