Eutelsat QUANTUM satellite loaded in container ahead of launch. Photo: Airbus

Airbus has shipped Eutelsat’s QUANTUM satellite to French Guiana ahead of its July launch. The QUANTUM launch has been pushed back multiple times, and is now set for Arianespace launch from French Guiana in the third quarter. 

The QUANTUM satellite is software-defined, and is pitched as the first universal satellite to repeatedly adjust to business requirements. It will offer dynamic beam shaping and vessel-tracking capabilities, and dynamic traffic shaping to respond to demand. 

After its launch, the satellite will be located in Geostationary Orbit (GEO) at 48 degrees East, and will offer coverage of the Middle East and North Africa and beyond. It will be able to cover any area requested by the customer during its life in orbit.

“The technology we have developed and built for Eutelsat QUANTUM is truly game changing – paving the way to fully reconfigurable GEO telecommunications satellites. Our experience in pioneering this revolutionary technology demonstrates the value of partnerships – bringing together the best from Eutelsat, ESA [European Space Agency] and Airbus to achieve a new standard in flexible connectivity,” commented François Gaullier, head of Telecom Systems at Airbus.