Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications Inc. , today announced that it has been awarded a contract to build the TerreStar-2 MSS (mobile satellite services) satellite for TerreStar Networks Inc. TerreStar's two satellite system, which includes the TerreStar-1 satellite currently under construction at SS/L, together with an Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC), is designed to provide next-generation, 2-GHz mobile voice and data communications, monitoring and messaging services throughout the United States and Canada.
"The unique capabilities of TerreStar-2, SS/L's fifth commercial satellite construction award so far in 2006, benefit from the state-of-the-art satellite technology being developed by SS/L for the world's new mobile service providers. We're proud to have earned the trust of TerreStar for the construction of its cutting-edge mobile communications service, based on SS/L's highly reliable and space-proven technologies" - Patrick DeWitt, chief executive officer, Space Systems/Loral.
Scheduled for delivery in 2009, TerreStar-2 will have a service life of 15 years and carry a state-of-the-art MSS payload featuring a large unfurlable reflector. The satellite will generate hundreds of spot beams covering the Continental U.S., Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Loral has provided TerreStar with the ability to add enhancements and functionality to the TerreStar-2 satellite to meet additional customer requirements. These upgrades would implement technological advancements to satisfy TerreStar's growing customer requirements and make TerreStar-2 the most powerful and capable MSS satellite under contract to date. TerreStar-2 is based on SS/L's space-proven 1300 platform, which has an excellent record of reliable operation. Its high efficiency solar arrays and lightweight batteries are designed to provide uninterrupted electrical power. In all, SS/L satellites have amassed more than 1,300 years of reliable on-orbit service.
TerreStar Networks Inc. is a Reston, VA-based provider of advanced mobile satellite services for the North American market. The company plans to develop, build and operate an innovative and spectrum-efficient spot beam satellite system in the 2 GHz frequency band.
