Harris Corporation has been
awarded a major contract to provide a series of next-generation broadband
satellites to GE American Communications (GE Americom), a GE Capital Company.
Harris was selected as the prime contractor for the GE*Star Satellite
System, which will utilize the Ka-Band frequency spectrum to provide global
broadband multimedia services that handle Internet traffic, video
broadcasting, satellite news gathering, telemedicine and other applications. Beginning operations in 2002, the GE*Star Satellite System will complement the existing fleet of C-band and Ku-Band satellites operated by GE Americom.
As prime contractor for the first GE*Star Satellite System, Harris will
provide the communications payload and lead the team delivering the
spacecraft. The program will be managed at facilities in the U.S. and France. Harris expects to use Aerospatiale satellite platforms for the spacecraft. Aerospatiale, based in Paris, has a satellite manufacturing facility located in Cannes, France, where the spacecraft integration will take place.
Harris with worldwide sales of $3.8 Billion is a major supplier of satellite and space-related communication systems for commercial and military customers. Major space communications projects have included telemetry systems for Telstar and Minuteman satellites in the 1950’s, and processors for the Hubble Space Telescope. Harris is currently developing the deployable mesh antennas for the Lockheed Martin Asia Cellular Satellite (ACeS) and the communications payloads for Ellipso, Inc. satellites.
“The demand for wideband type services is growing significantly. With the
GE*Star Satellite System, GE Americom will be well-positioned to deliver the next generation of high-rate information services,” said John F. Connelly, GE Americom’s president and CEO. “We have great confidence in the technological leadership of Harris and look forward to the day when the GE*Star Satellite System will deliver high-quality broadband services to our customers.”
GE Americom operates eleven satellites providing satellite-based solutions in North America. In Europe, GE-1E provides high-powered Ku-band service to European and Middle Eastern television markets. The company is also the largest shareholder of the Argentinian-based satellite operator, NahuelSat. By 1999 GE Americom plans to operate a global satellite system with 80% coverage of the world’s population.
“Being awarded this project demonstrates the growing significance
communications technology plays in the deployment of next-generation
satellites,” said Phillip W. Farmer, Harris’ chairman, president, and CEO.
“Increasingly, sophisticated and complex communications payloads have become the driving factor in building satellites.”
