MOSCOW. Jan 23 (Interfax-AVN) - Gazprom Space Systems and Europe's Thales Alenia Space have signed a contract to build the Yamal-601 telecom satellite, which will provide fixed line communication, broadcast and Internet access services.
"Thales Alenia Space won the contract from Gazprom in competitive international bidding," says a report posted on the Gazprom Space Systems website.
"We are very proud of our selection by Gazprom Space Systems for this major program," the report quoted Jean Loic Galle President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space as saying. "It clearly confirms the excellent relations that our companies already established on the Yamal-200 and Yamal-400 programs, while bolstering our collaboration and paving the way for even more extensive partnership possibilities."
"As the program's prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space is in charge of the design, production, testing and turnkey delivery of the satellite and its associated ground segment. The satellite will be launched by International Launch Services (ILS) on the Proton rocket," the report said.
According to ILS, the launch is due in 2016.
"It will replace the Yamal-202 satellite, offering extended coverage of Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, South and Southeast Asia, from its orbital position at 49° East," the report stated.