[12-06-07 – Satellite Today] Thales Alenia Space and Russia’s NPO-PM will develop a new multi-mission satellite platform based on Thales’ Spacebus 4000 technology, Thales announced Dec. 6.
    The Express-4000 will incorporate a range of Russian equipment and subsystems on a Thales Alenia Space payload. The satellites will be manufactured and integrated in NPO-PM’s facilities as well as marketed by the Russian manufacturer.
    The two companies have been cooperating on programs since 1995, and Thales Alenia Space has provided 11 payloads for Express-AM platforms, three for Express-MD platforms and repeater equipment for a pair of Loutch spacecraft.
    “Our cooperation is extending so that our payload teams are being trained by their experts while assembling and testing Express-33/44 communication satellites,” Nikolay Testoyedov, general director of NPO-PM, said in a statement. “This sharing of experience will enable us to design and test payload modules ourselves in close cooperation with Thales Alenia Space as payload equipment supplier. We are not going to stop on this achievement as we are broadening our cooperation to high-capacity satellites."
    Thales Alenia Space and NPO-PM also are developing an industrial plan to purchase from Russian suppliers common equipment for the Spacebus 4000 and Express-4000 series.
“This extended cooperation with NPO-PM and the Russian industry is a major step for the telecom satellite market and Thales Alenia Space’s strategy,” Pascale Sourisse, Thales Alenia Space CEO. “This common approach demonstrates the confidence and trust between our two companies, which is based on a strong heritage of cooperation and success. We are proud to be referenced as a leading partner in the Russian space industry and wish this long-lasting partnership will further develop in the future.”