Alcatel Space inked a contract with Jersey-based AirTV Holdings Ltd. To build a satellite system for the global live television broadcasting network dedicated to the commercial and private aviation markets. The contract amount was not disclosed.

In parallel, the two companies signed a memorandum of agreement which calls for Alcatel’s operating arm, Spacecom, to become one of the strategic partners of AirTV in the first round of financing to be announced later this year.

For the contract, prime contractor Alcatel Space has completed the system design and is responsible for the turnkey delivery of the overall space segment, including the construction of four high-power, S-band geostationary satellites delivered in orbit, the ground control segment for the spacecraft, including satellite control centers, and telemetry, tracking & command (TT&C) stations. Spacecom also will construct several uplink stations to transmit programming to aircraft.

No launch vehicle services provider has been announced. The four AirTV satellites, which will be assembled and integrated in Alcatel Space’s clean rooms in Cannes, France, and Toulouse, France, each will include four very-high power S-band transponders and will weigh approximately 3,800 kilograms. AirTV expects to begin worldwide service in 2003.