Aerospatiale has won a major satellite contract with Spanish TV broadcaster Hispasat. The 500M francs Hispasat 1C will provide 120 channels on both sides of the Atlantic. For state-owned Aerospatiale the win will be welcomed as high profile and bolstering further commercial satellite sales for the French company.
Aerospatiale will build the satellite, due for delivery within 23 months, and will supply the associated ground control stations. Alcatel Espace will supply a 24-channel telecommunications payload. Spanish companies Casa, Alcatel Espacio, INTA (Instituto Nacional de Technica Aerospacial) and RYMSA will work on the satellite and payload.
The Hispasat 1C satellite will have 24 high power transponders that will reinforce the present services of the Hispasat System and room for growth as South America demand continues to expand.
Hispasat 1C has been designed to offer a great number of Digital TV Channels for the “Spanish speaking” Audio-visual Market on both sides of the Atlantic. In the same way, the third satellite of Hispasat system will give full flexibility both the present Hispasat customers and the future ones, for the development of the most innovative Satellite Communications Services.
The Hispasat 1C will have three coverage areas: “Iberia”, “Europe” and “America” and a great degree of flexibility to interconnect services among the three areas:
“Iberia” Coverage:
The “Iberia” coverage of the Hispasat 1C covers the Iberian Peninsula, Balearics, Canaries and the North of Africa. It must be pointed out that the “Iberia” coverage also covers the Portugal islands: Azores and Madeira. On this coverage up to 17 high power transponders can be offered, especially suited for the reception at home of Direct Digital TV with the use of 40 cm diameter antennas.
“Europe” coverage:
The “Europe” coverage of the Hispasat 1C extends its performances with respect to the two first satellites, to all the European Community, East of Russia and towards the South illuminating most of the Mediterranean countries.
The “Europe” coverage can be assigned up to 17 transponders that can be interconnected with the other coverage areas. This potential use of the Hispasat satellites allows them to provide Euroe-Europe, Europe-America and America-Europe services.
“America” Coverage:
Hispasat 1C enlarges the American coverage of Hispasat system (from Canada to Tierra de Fuego), improving its lighting in Brazil. It will have up to twelve high power transponders, specially suitable for Broadcasting and Distribution of Digital and Analogic TV Channels over the American Continent, transmissions that can be received, depending on the zones, with 90 to 120 cm diameter antennas (DTH).
Likewise, the high connectivity of Hispasat 1C will be specially significant for the development of Pan-American Telecommunications Networks, due to its capacity to establish America-America and America-Europe services.
