Alcatel Alenia Space will manufacture the W7 satellite for Eutelsat Communications, the two companies announced Dec. 21.
The spacecraft, scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2009, will be located at Eutelsat’s 36° East location and double the current available capacity in a key neighborhood for the company’s fleet of geostationary satellites.

W7 also will provide additional coverage and flexibility for addressing growing markets in Central Asia and Africa, Eutelsat said.