Artist Rendition of next generation Hotbird satellites. Photo: Airbus

Airbus has been selected by Eutelsat to build two Hotbird next generation telecommunications satellites, which will replace the current spacecraft and enhance capacity at Eutelsat’s position of 13 degrees East. The two satellites aim to deliver improved performances over Europe and the Middle East.

These new satellites are aiming to ensure full service continuity over the operational 102 Ku-band transponders/frequencies, secure deployment, and capacity redundancy at the Hotbird position. The Hotbird fleet forms one of the largest broadcasting systems in Europe, broadcasting 1,000 television channels to more than 135 million homes in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

The new satellites will be based on the Eurostar Neo platform, Airbus’ new Geostationary Orbit (GEO) telecommunications satellite standard design, an evolution from the Eurostar series. Eurostar Neo combines increased payload capacity and more efficient power and thermal control systems with reduced production time and optimized costs. The satellites are due for launch in 2021.