N° 3–2018: Call for Media: Tour of the first ‘chameleon’ satellite

Eutelsat Quantum is the first commercial satellite to be fully reconfigurable in orbit. For the first time, users will be able to adapt the satellite’s coverage, bandwidth, power and frequency while it is in space, to match the changing requirements on Earth.

Eutelsat Quantum is a public–private partnership (PPP) between satellite operator Eutelsat, ESA and Airbus (GB), with strong financial backing from the UK. The satellite is being built in Guilford and Portsmouth, UK. Due for launch in 2019, it will soon leave the UK to continue assembly, integration and testing at Airbus in Toulouse.

Doors open at 12:00 GMT. At 13:30 GMT Airbus, UK Space Agency, Eutelsat and ESA senior representatives will provide a short introduction to the project and its global context. A guided tour of the cleanrooms will follow in the presence of Tim Peake. The event will end at 15:30 GMT after a question and answer session.

Please contact jeremy.close@airbus.com to register your interest in attending the event in person, or to interview ESA, UK Space Agency, Eutelsat or Airbus representatives by telephone.

Address

Airbus

Anchorage Road

Portsmouth

United Kingdom

PO3 5PU

 

About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Slovenia is an Associate Member.

ESA has established formal cooperation with six Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.

ESA develops the launchers, spacecraft and ground facilities needed to keep Europe at the forefront of global space activities.

Today, it develops and launches satellites for Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications and astronomy, sends probes to the far reaches of the Solar System and cooperates in the human exploration of space. ESA also has a strong applications programme developing services in Earth observation, navigation and telecommunications.

Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int

For further information, please contact:
ESA Media Relations Office
Email: media@esa.int
Tel: +33 1 53 69 72 99