ESA and partners developing Quantum telecommunications satellite

Eutelsat Communications, the ESA, and Airbus Defence and Space have signed a public-private partnership to design and develop software-driven Quantum telecommunications satellite.

Said to be the first-of-its-kind universal satellite, the Quantum will be designed to be reconfigurable in orbit using phased array antennas as per business requirements, to serve any world region.

With a new and generic payload design, the spacecraft will cater to all user requirements, including coverage, bandwidth, power and frequency.

Eutelsat chairman and CEO Michel de Rosen said: "Eutelsat Quantum is the first of a new generation of satellite that has agility, adaptability, responsiveness and performance at its core."

According to ESA, the Quantum-class of satellites will require low costs to build thereby facilitating larger-scale production.

Quantum’s capability to replace or complement another satellite in geostationary orbit will help transform fleet management, and support efficient use of resources.

Eutelsat has signed a contract with Airbus Defence and Space in the UK for the first satellite.

Planned to be built using Surrey Satellite Technology’s (SSTL) new small geo-satellite platform, the Quantum is expected to be delivered in 2018.

The satellite will offer software defined ‘receive’ and ‘transmit’ coverages in Ku-band, including on-board jamming detection and mitigation. It will have a design life of 15 years.

Airbus Defence and Space space systems head François Auque said: "With this satellite, Airbus Defence and Space will deliver yet another innovation for Eutelsat, marking a breakthrough in telecommunications satellites and following electric propulsion with Eutelsat 172B and broadband access with Ka-Sat."

Eutelsat unveiled the Quantum satellite concept in December last year.

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Image: An artist’s impression of the Eutelsat Quantum class satellite. Photo: courtesy of Airbus Defence and Space.