Nascent state-owned Brazilian satellite operator Visiona Tecnologia Espacial has formally signed a contract with the government to supply the Defense and Strategic Communications Geostationary Satellite (SGDC) system.
The R$1.3bn (US$560m) contract sees…
Nascent state-owned Brazilian satellite operator Visiona Tecnologia Espacial has formally signed a contract with the government to supply the Defense and Strategic Communications Geostationary Satellite (SGDC) system.
The R$1.3bn (US$560m) contract sees Visiona take responsibility for the delivery and integration of the project, the central part of which is a Ka- and X-band satellite that is to be built by Thales Alenia Space and is due to be launched by Arianespace in 2016.
Brazilian telecoms incumbent Telebras, which jointly owns Visiona with aircraft manufacturer Embraer, will operate the Ka-band payload of the satellite to provide satellite broadband as part of the government’s national broadband programme. The Ministry of Defense will operate the X-band transponders, which represent approximately a fifth of the spacecraft’s capacity.
Visiona president Nelson Salgado stated: “We are honoured to have been chosen to supply a system so important to the country. We trust that this program represents the beginning of a long-term relationship, by establishing a Brazilian space systems integration company, similar to what Embraer represents for the aeronautical and defence segments.”
Telebras president Caio Bonilha added: “The SGDC system not only will meet the needs of Telebras’ National Broadband Program (PNBL) and the strategic communications of the Brazilian Armed Forces, but it is also an opportunity for Brazil to ensure the sovereignty of its strategic communications in both the civilian and military areas.”
National sovereignty and security is a key driver of the project with Visionia stating that the satellites that currently provide services to Brazil are either controlled by stations outside of the country or the attitude control is in the hands of companies run by foreign capital. “In either of the cases there are risks of interrupted services, in situations of international conflict or due to the political or economic interests of others” it added.