PALO ALTO, Calif., 10 Dec. 2014. Officials at Spanish satellite operator HISPASAT Group sought a multi-mission communications satellite to enable a broad range of services in Latin America. They found their solution at Space Systems/Loral (SSL), a provider of commercial satellites, and purchased the Amazonas 5 satellite.
"Amazonas 5 is the fourth satellite that we will build for HISPASAT, with two currently on orbit and another in backlog," SSL President John Celli says. The high-performance satellite “will help HISPASAT broaden the availability of high-quality communications in Latin America," he adds.
Amazonas 5 has a high throughput Ka-band spot beam payload, which will be used for broadband service inSouth America, Central America and Mexico. It also has a Ku-band beam for fixed satellite services, which will be used for television, corporate networks, and other telecommunications applications in South America and Central America.
"As the leader in commercial satellite manufacturing, SSL is well-positioned to support our current innovation and expansion initiatives by providing us with an outstanding satellite," explains Carlos Espinós, chief executive officer of HISPASAT.
Amazonas 5 is based on the SSL 1300 platform that provides the flexibility for a broad range of applications and technology advances. Scheduled for launch in 2017, the satellite is designed to deliver service for 15 years or longer.
The HISPASAT Group is composed of companies with a foothold in Spain as well as in Latin America, where its Brazilian affiliate HISPAMAR, sells its services. The Group is a leading Spanish and Portuguese language content broadcaster and distributor, including over important direct-to-home television (DTH) and high-definition television (HDTV) digital platforms. HISPASAT is one of the world's largest companies in terms of revenue in its sector, and the main communications bridge between Europe and the Americas.
SSL delivers satellites and spacecraft systems for commercial and government customers around the world, and works closely with satellite operators to provide spacecraft for a broad range of services, including television and radio distribution, digital audio radio, broadband Internet, mobile communications, and Earth observation.
