Article Posted on : - Nov 07, 2009

An artist's concept of Hylas satellite. Image credit: ESA

BANGALORE (BNS): European Space Agency's Hylas geostationary communication satellite has arrived from England at the ISRO centre here for integration with its platform.

Hylas – the Highly Adaptable Satellite – is scheduled to be launched in 2010.

Designed and developed by the EADS Astrium for British telecommunication company Avanti Communications, Hylas will be based on ISRO's I-2K small satellite platform under an agreement signed between EADS Astrium and ISRO’s Antrix.

The Hylas mission will address the large demand for broadband services in Europe. It will cater to thousands of Internet users in the region, and broadcast up to 30 standard-quality or 15 high-definition TV channels in Ku-band, ESA said.

The Indian Space Research Organisation is providing the satellite platform in the mission. The communications payload and the platform will be integrated and tested in Bangalore ahead of the satellite's launch by Arianespace in 2010.

Other European and Canadian companies, including TESAT, ComDev and CASA Espacio, are providing essential equipment for the payload.

The satellite is designed to have a lifetime of 15 years, and will be positioned in geostationary orbit at 33.5°W, the space agency said.