The Russian Satellite Communication (RSCC) has signed a 15-year agreement for Eutelsat to lease capacity for broadcasting and IP services on two RSCC satellites being launched in 2013 and 2015.
The agreement for the two leases is valued at €300m. The two RSCC satellite programmes comprise Express-??2 and Express-AMU1, which are being developed by Russian satellite manufacturer ISS Reshetnev with a Thales Alenia Space-designed payload.
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Being launched at 140° E in 2013, Express-??2 is expected to double the Ku-band capacity and will provide broadcast and IP services in Russia’s Far East region.
Express-AMU1, which is scheduled for launch in 2015, will be equipped with 70 transponders and provide broadcast services to the European part of Russia and sub-Saharan Africa regions.
It will offer follow-on and expansion capacity for Eutelsat 36A satellite at the 36° E position. The two leases are expected to allow the French company to use Ku and Ka-band capacities at 36° E in Eutelsat frequencies and 140° E in RSCC frequencies.
Eutelsat CEO Michel de Rosen said that the partnership with RSCC on satellite ventures would secure long-term visibility at the 36° E slot and open new opportunities for businesses at the 140° E slot.
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By GlobalData"We share the common objective to continue to work together for the benefit of our customers and to deliver satellite resources that support the expansion of a vibrant digital economy for the Russian Federation," Rosen said.
The latest deal assures the future relations between the two satellite operators, especially for the 36° E slot, which is coveted by both of them, reports Space News.
The two companies signed an agreement in May 2011 to expand capacity at 36° E through a Eutelsat-funded satellite, but it is not known if the latest agreement replaces the May deal, according to Space News.
Earlier this year, Eutelsat resolved a potential frequency-coordination issue with Ukraine over frequency rights around 36° E.
Eutelsat currently operates two spacecraft, the Eutelsat 36A and Eutelsat 36B, at the 36° E slot.
