Rendition of the Konnect satellites. Photo: Thales Alenia Space

Eutelsat Communication‘s Konnect satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space, is now undergoing final preparation prior to being shipped to the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, for a launch planned mid-January 2020.

The new Konnect satellite features all-electric propulsion and operates in Ka-band. It is the first to use Thales Alenia Space’s all-electric Spacebus NEO platform, developed under the Neosat Partnership Project conducted by the European and French space agencies (ESA and CNES).

Yohann Leroy, Deputy CEO and Chief Technical Officer of Eutelsat, said: “Konnect is a key to our strategy of developing large-scale satellite Internet services. It will soon be shipped to Europe’s Spaceport for a launch early next year. I would like to thank our industrial partner, Thales Alenia Space, for their all-out commitment to this program. They are involved in several of our programs, supporting our goal of reducing the digital divide. These satellites will work with terrestrial networks by providing additional connectivity resources, at a time when access to high-speed Internet plays a major role in both national and regional economic and social development.”