Europe military satellites
FR - Télécom 2 (Syracuse 2)
The second generation Telecom spacecraft debuted on 16 December 1991 as Telecom 2A and was followed on 15 April 1992 by Telecom 2B. This new series of more capable spacecraft was designed and manufactured jointly by Matra Marconi and Alcatel Espace and is based on the Matra-British Aerospace Eurostar-2000 2.0 m x 2.1 m x 2.0 m satellite bus. On orbit mass of Telecom 2 is 1380 kg with a payload mass of 400 kg. The twin solar panels span 22 m and provide an excess of 3.6 kW with 2.5 kW available for the payload. The design life is 10.25 years.
The Telecom 2 communications package includes ten 6/4 GHz transponders with four spares for telephone and television relays, six 8/7 GHz transponders with three spares for the military Syracuse II payload, and 11 14/12 GHz transponders with four spares for television, data transmission, and teleconference. When completed the Telecom 2 constellation will be deployed at 8 degrees W, 5 degrees W, and 3 degrees E. At the end of 1994 Telecom 2A and 2B were stationed at 8 degrees W and 5 degrees W, respectively. Telecom 2C was launched in 1995 with Telecom 2D followed in 1996.
| Nation: |
France |
| Type / Application: |
Communication |
| Operator: Opérateur |
France Télécom |
| Contractors / Constructeur |
Matra Marconi |
| Equipment |
10 C-band transponders, 11 Ku-band transponders, 5 X-band transponders |
| Configuration |
Eurostar-2000 |
| Propulsion |
R-4D-11 (#2A, 2B), R-4D-11-300 (#2C, 2D) |
| Lifetime / Durée de vie |
10/25 |
| Operational / Opérationnel |
 2006 |
| Mass / Masse |
1380 |
| Orbit / Orbite |
GEO |
Syracuse 3A, 3B, 3C
The Syracuse 3 series spacecraft are the third-generation military communications satellites for the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (France's Ministry of Defense's procurement agency).
Syracuse 3 consists of a Spacebus-4000B3 platform, hardened to resist nuclear attack in compliance with NATO specifications.
A powerful communications payload, operating in two frequency bands is fitted on the spacecraft:
- SHF (super high frequency): 4 spotbeams, 1 global beam,1 metropolitan France beam; nine 40 MHz channels.
- EHF (extremely high frequency): 2 spotbeams, 1 global beam; six 40-MHz channels.
| Nation: |
France |
| Type / Application: |
Military communication |
| Operator: Opérateur |
DGA |
| Contractors / Constructeur |
Alcatel Space |
| Equipment |
SHF and EHF transponders |
| Configuration |
Spacebus-4000B3 |
| Propulsion |
S400 |
| Lifetime / Durée de vie |
|
| Operatinal / Opérationnel |
#3A 2005 - #3B 2006 |
| Mass / Masse |
3700 kg |
| Orbit / Orbite |
GEO |
SICRAL 1, 1B
SICRAL (Sistema Italiana de Communicazione Riservente Allarmi), the first national italian system for satellite military telecommunications, has been developed by the SITAB consortium made up of Alenia Spazio, a Finmeccanica Company (70%), Fiat Avio (20%) and Telespazio (10%).
SICRAL satellite can operate simultaneously on several frequency bands (SHF, EHF and UHF), a characteristics first in Europe, with the possibility to switch the bands on-board of the satellite (first in the world). The UHF satellite repeater is the Europe’s most powerful and the only one to operate inter-connected to the SHF/EHF band.
| Nation: |
Italy |
| Type / Application: |
Military communication |
| Operator: Opérateur |
|
| Contractors / Constructeur |
Alenia Spazio |
| Equipment |
UHF, EHF and SHF transponders |
| Configuration |
GeoBus (Italsat Bus) |
| Propulsion |
S400 ? |
| Lifetime / Durée de vie |
10 years |
| Operatinal / Opérationnel |
#1 2001 2011 - #2 2005 2015 |
| Mass / Masse |
2596 kg |
| Orbit / Orbite |
GEO |
Skynet 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F
Skynet 4 was the third generation of UK Ministry of Defense communications satellites. They provided jam-proof communications service between fixed and mobile land and sea-based ground stations. The payload housed one four-channel SHF transponder and one two-channel UHF transponder. An EHF transponder was available for propagation experiments on Skynet 4A. Built by British Aerospace, the satellite measured 2.1m by 1.4m. Solar arrays spanning 16m provided 1,200 W of power.
Skynet 4D, E and F are improved versions, featuring an enhance communication payload.
The last Skynet 4F has been lunched by an Ariane 4 in mars 2001.
| Nation: |
UK |
| Type / Application: |
Military communication |
| Operator: Opérateur |
MoD |
| Contractors / Constructeur |
BAe -> Matra Marconi -> Astrium |
| Equipment |
4 SHF transponders (all), 2 UHF transponders (all), 2 C-band transponders (#D-F) |
| Configuration |
ECS-Bus |
| Propulsion |
Star-30E |
| Lifetime / Durée de vie |
6 years. |
| Operatinal / Opérationnel |
#4F 2007 |
| Mass / Masse |
1250 kg (#A-C); 1500 kg (#D-F) |
| Orbit / Orbite |
GEO |
Skynet 5A, 5B
Skynet 5 is the programme to update the UK’s military satellite communications capability for the British Ministry of Defence. The Skynet 5 system will provide the next generation of secure global military satellite communications system, initially through the transfer of ownership, operation and enhancement of the existing Skynet 4 infrastructure and then by incorporating new Skynet 5 satellites and associated ground segment from the middle of this decade. The programme will be delivered in the form of a service provision contract.
Under contract to Paradigm Secure Communications, selected in February 2002 as preferred bidder for the Skynet 5 secure global military satellite communications programme, Astrium is responsible for the replacement of the existing Skynet 4 ground and space assets (for which company is prime contractor) by a new, integrated Skynet 5 system. Astrium has supported the Skynet 5 programme from its outset, including various concept studies carried out over the past five years. The contract for two satellites was awarded in October 2003.
| Nation: |
UK |
| Type / Application: |
Military communication |
| Operator: Opérateur |
Paradigm Secure Communications for MoD |
| Contractors / Constructeur |
Astrium, Paradigm Secure Communications |
| Equipment |
? |
| Configuration |
Eurostar-3000 |
| Propulsion |
? |
| Lifetime / Durée de vie |
|
| Operatinal / Opérationnel |
#5A 2006 - #5B 2007 |
| Mass / Masse |
4700 kg |
| Orbit / Orbite |
GEO |
|
