Eurostar Neo art. Photo: Airbus Defence and Space

[Via Satellite 11-17-2015] Through a new contract, the European Space Agency (ESA), and partner Airbus Defence and Space have agreed to further development of Eurostar Neo, a new generation of platforms for geostationary telecommunication satellites. Under phase C/D of the Neosat program, this contract will lead to the development of the complete Eurostar Neo product line.

The goal of Neosat is to increase the market share of European satellite builders to capture at least half of the world’s satellite contracts in the 3 to 6 ton range by the end of the decade. ESA and the French space agency CNES started Neosat through the Investments for the Future Program (PIA) and continue to support it today, along with the U.K. Space Agency and participation from 16 other ESA member states. Neosat satellites are expected to reduce the cost of a satellite in orbit by 30 percent compared with today’s designs.

Airbus Defence and Space’s Eurostar Neo will leverage an architecture for all-electric, all-chemical and hybrid propulsion, efficient power and thermal control solutions for all types of missions, including very high power (up to 25 kW), as well as improved control systems to simplify operations. The company plans to draw on an extensive network of industrial partners from across Europe to develop and provide this product line.