Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), a wholly owned
subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, has awarded a contract to a
joint team of Astrium and Thales Alenia Space to build their $1.66
billion dual satellite communications system ready for a launch in the
second half of 2010.
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Yahsat will provide customers with innovative solutions for
broadcasting services, internet trunking via satellite, corporate data
networks and backhauling services to telecom operators. The Yahsat
satellites will fulfil the satellite communication requirements of both
government and commercial customers in the Middle East, Africa, Europe
and South West Asia. The system is designed to accommodate the trends of
emerging applications in the satellite industry like HDTV and other
broadband satellite services.
The dual (government and commercial) Yahsat satellite
communications system includes two large satellites to be delivered in
orbit, as well as the associated ground infrastructure. The operational
life of the satellites is estimated at 15 years. The Yahsat system will
comprise a space segment including two operational satellites--YahSat 1A
and YahSat 1B. Yahsat 1A is to be stationed at the orbital position of
52.5[degrees]E. Mubadala Development Company is a strategic investment
and development vehicle established and wholly owned by the Government
of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Its mission is to invest in commercially
viable, strategic, industrial and commercial partnerships. Yahsat is a
telecommunications satellite project initiated and owned by Mubadala
Development Company.
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