Thales Alenia Space has concluded a critical design review of its new line of Spacebus Neo platforms for manufacturing geostationary telecommunications satellites.

The review has enabled Spacebus Neo to enter qualification phases and manufacturing process.

Spacebus Neo’s hardware, including electronics, avionics, propulsion and thermo-structural units, have also begun qualification sequence process.

Its Xenon Propulsion System (XPS) module is currently being assembled at Thales’ facility in the UK, while the avionics module will be integrated at the company’s facilities in Cannes, France.

“This platform is perfectly adapted to operators’ expectations in the evolving telecommunication market.”

Spacebus Neo’s first payload module parts have already been delivered to Thales’s site in Toulouse, France.

Thales Alenia Space Telecommunications vice-president Bertrand Maureau said: “More robust, more modular, more powerful, more innovative, more flexible, this platform is perfectly adapted to operators’ expectations in the evolving telecommunication market and particularly well positioned for very demanding VHTS missions.”

Development of Spacebus Neo has been supported jointly by the European Space Agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems (ARTES) programme and French space agency CNES.

Spacebus Neo offers full electrical platforms and features new thermal control and enhanced power subsystems.

It also includes a flexible and highly modular design. Spacebus Neo satellites will be able to handle payloads of up to 2,000kg, with on-board power up to 20kW.

The platform has already secured four satellite orders from commercial and institutional customers, with the first launch expected next year.