Hellas Sat 5 Concept Image by Thales Alenia Space

Thales Alenia Space has won a new contract from Hellas Sat to collaborate on the development of an optical communication payload for the Hellas Sat 5 satellite. Hellas Sat 5 will operate in geostationary orbit at 39 degrees East. The two companies announced the deal, Jan. 26.

This payload aims to connect with Optical Ground Station of the National Athens Observatory in Greece, Optical Ground Stations in France, Optical Ground Stations of ESA and Thales Alenia Space’s LEO HydRON telecommunication satellite. After the Vertigo H2020 program, Thales Alenia Space is currently advancing the development of very high data rate capacities (up to 1 terabit/second) facing long distances from ground to geostationary orbit and cross-atmospheric turbulence, with support from France Relance (CO-OP), CNES (DYSCO) and ESA (HydRON).

“We are honored to work once again with Thales Alenia Space in the realm of optical communication technology, introducing the optical connectivity communication services to the European and International market thus effectively achieving the implementation of new technologies and sealing a new era,” Christodoulos Protopapas, CEO of Hellas Sat, said in a statement.