Orbital Sciences will build a new geosynchronous (GEO) communications satellite, Hylas-2 for London-based Avanti Communications Group.

The HYLAS 2 will carry 24 active Ka-band user beams and four gateway beams and produce about 5KW of payload electrical power.

The Ka-band spot beams will enable two-way communication and facilitate high-speed data delivery to end-user applications such as corporate networking, broadband internet access, business continuity services and video distribution.

Avanti will use the satellite to serve Northern and Southern Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

The spacecraft, based on Orbital’s STARTM 2.4 satellite platform, will also be fitted with a steerable Ka-band spot beam to provide coverage anywhere on Earth, that is visible to the satellite.

With HYLAS 2, Avanti will be able to triple its capacity offered by the previous HYLAS 1 satellite that is due to launch in 2010.

The satellite will be delivered in early 2012.