Eutelsat’s new 10B satellite goes into service
Eutelsat has announced that its multi-mission high-capacity 10B satellite has started operating at the 10° East orbital position. As previously announced, this new addition to the Eutelsat fleet has already secured multi-year capacity commitments with several maritime and in-flight connectivity service providers. Among them, Panasonic and Intelsat will rely on the 10B satellite to serve clients such as ships and airlines.
Responding to growth in demand for mobile connectivity, EUTELSAT 10B is carrying two multi-beam high-throughput satellite (HTS) Ku-band payloads: a payload covering the North Atlantic corridor, Europe, the Mediterranean basin, and the Middle East, offering throughput in the air and sea traffic zones, and a second payload to extend coverage across the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, and the Indian Ocean. EUTELSAT 10B will also cater Eutelsat ‘advance’ services, a global network of coverage providing high-end connectivity to users beyond the range of terrestrial networks, through a satellite network-as-a-service experience.
Cyril Dujardin, general manager for the connectivity business unit, says “EUTELSAT 10B satellite will boost our global connectivity services with High Throughput capacity, to meet increasing in-flight and maritime demand. EUTELSAT 10B’s Ku-band payload complements the Ka-band of the EUTELSAT KONNECT VHTS satellite, that will enter into service in Autumn, reflecting our ability to serve our customers in both Ka- and Ku-bands with the best-in-class space assets. Moreover, this satellite brings innovative new resources that will be able to complement Eutelsat’s GEO-LEO offering.”
EUTELSAT 10B is also carrying two widebeam payloads in C-band and in Ku-band to ensure continuity of the video services on the EUTELSAT 10A satellite, whose operational life is scheduled to end later this year. The 10° East location that EUTELSAT 10B occupies has been operated by Eutelsat since 1987 and provides coverage of Europe, the Middle East and Africa for video services. Clients such as Arqiva and Eurovision will be able to benefit from the resources and enhanced services at 10° East.
Laurence Delpy, general manager for the video business unit, says “With EUTELSAT 10B we are bringing the newest resources and enhanced services to 10° East, one of Eutelsat’s long-standing, leading orbital locations and a key position for professional video networks. Satellite maintains an integral role in the media supply chain, particularly to support the live transmission of major news and sporting events. Our clients can look forward to an ever-better service with this powerful new satellite.”
EUTELSAT 10B is an all-electric satellite with a 5th generation digital transparent processor, offering capacity allocation flexibility and an optimal spectrum use. Built by Thales Alenia Space and based on the Spacebus NEO platform, the satellite was launched on 23 November 2022 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
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