Khalid Balkheyour, president and CEO, Arabsat. Photo: Arabsat

[Via Satellite 07-23-2014] Arabsat has contracted Spanish technology group GMV to construct a new satellite control center (SCC) capable of managing the company’s six current satellites, with room for two more by the end of 2014. The decision was influenced by Arabsat’s desire to shift to a homogenous SCC solution that can seamlessly operate different satellite platforms compared to the heterogeneous solution it has used for the past decade.

Through this agreement, Arabsat procures a turnkey solution with GMV’s hifly Real Time System (RTS) and focusgeo Flight Dynamics System (FDS) products. Additional satellites from different platforms are also included in the agreement. In March Arabsat issued four Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for new satellites to sustain and expand the company’s main fleet and its subsidiary Hellas Sat’s fleet.