Hughes Space and Communications has won a contract to build to HS702 satellites for American Mobile Radio Corp (AMRC) that will provide program signals directly to car radios across North America. Financial terms were not disclosed.
In about two years, the high-power satellites will begin sending approximately 50 channels of high-quality digital radio
programming to fixed, mobile and portable radios across the contiguous United States. The contract calls for Hughes to deliver
the satellites in geosynchronous orbit in April and August 2000, respectively. AMRC has an option for a third satellite. Launch
vehicles will be announced later. Alcatel Espace of Toulouse, France, will provide the high-power, S-band, Digital Audio Radio
Service (DARS) payload.
“Mobile radio service is an exciting new application of satellite technology, and one for which the HS 702 is ideally suited,” said
HSCI Chairman Donald L. Cromer. “These satellites will have 9.5 kilowatts of power to ensure the clearest, strongest signals to
drivers no matter where in the continental U.S. they might be.”
Hughes introduced the HS 702 in 1995 in response to customer requests for satellites with as much as 15 kilowatts of power
and flexible payload capacity, that could be delivered in minimum time and be launched on a variety of vehicles. AMRC’s
contract brings to five the number of HS 702s ordered, with the first three going to PanAmSat Corporation. The first HS 702
will be launched in the fourth quarter of this year.
Hughes incorporated a number of technological advances into the HS 702 series. To generate such high power, the two solar
wings employ high-efficiency, dual-junction gallium arsenide solar cells. Depending on the frequency bands desired, the payload
can be configured with on-board digital signal processing or as many as 90 active transponders. To provide 15 years’ service,
the HS 702 carries Hughes’ flight-proven xenon ion propulsion system (XIPS) for all on-orbit maneuvering. The satellites will be built in the Los Angeles-area factory of Hughes Space and Communications Company.
AMRC is one of only two companies licensed in the United States to provide Digital Audio Radio Service. AMRC is a
privately held company owned by American Mobile Satellite and WorldSpace Inc., both high-technology telecommunications
companies headquartered in the Washington area. American Mobile Satellite is the only company currently providing L-band
voice and data mobile satellite services in the United States. WorldSpace is an investor in WorldSpace International, the leading
international satellite digital radio company scheduled to initiate service to Africa, Latin America and Asia beginning this year.
Alcatel Espace’s chairman and CEO, Jean-Claude Husson, said: “Alcatel is proud to contribute to the development of the U.S.
DARS system for AMRC. We are enthusiastic about our new partnership with HSCI and their confidence in Alcatel payloads.
This powerful payload, designed, manufactured and tested in our plant at Toulouse, France, will benefit from our experience
gained through the ongoing contract with WorldSpace, to implement the first global digital audio broadcasting satellite system by
the year 2000.”
Alcatel designs, manufactures and markets complete telecommunications systems. Activities include fixed switching networks,
transmission systems, access systems, mobile communications infrastructure, business networking and submarine cable
networks, as well as radio communications, space and defense systems. With operations in over 130 countries, Alcatel is a
leading-edge supplier in the majority of its business. In 1997, the Telecom segment of Alcatel Alsthom registered total sales of
more than 83 billion French francs.
