UK Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, visits Eutelsat to discuss ground-breaking "Eutelsat Quantum" class satellite

Danny Alexander (right) Chief Secretary to the Treasury in the UK Government, with Michel Azibert, Eutelsat Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial and Development Officer. Copyright Denis Allard / REA

Paris, 23 January 2015 – Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury in the UK Government, visited the Paris headquarters of Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) today to discuss the recently announced “Eutelsat Quantum” class satellite.

“Eutelsat Quantum” is a ground-breaking programme that will raise the bar for service delivery by enabling users of satellite capacity for the first time to actively define the performance and flexibility they need. The innovative software-defined “Eutelsat Quantum” class of satellites will adapt to applications in terms of coverage, bandwidth, power and frequencies for users operating in government, mobility and data markets.

The development of the core technologies integrated into this new universal satellite concept will be supported by ESA within the framework of a Public-Private Partnership with Eutelsat UK. The first satellite, to be launched in 2018, will be primed and manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space in the UK using its innovative flexible payload technology and a new platform from its affiliate, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL). Both developments are supported by the UK Space Agency.

Danny Alexander commented: “France is one of the UK’s oldest and most important strategic partners. That’s why I’m visiting Eutelsat in Paris today, to learn about how British and French companies are working together to develop new and exciting technologies to ensure both our economies remain at the cutting-edge of global science and industry. The value of being part of the EU means that we can work efficiently together on business, defence and strategic initiatives without limits - as these satellites, which will soon be soaring into space, demonstrate.”

Welcoming Danny Alexander to Eutelsat, Michel Azibert, Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial and Development Officer, said: “Eutelsat Quantum is a game-changer in terms of the flexibility and performance it will be able to deliver clients, continuing our tradition of initiatives such as Skyplex and KA-SAT that have delivered new technologies to users and expanded the scope of our industry. Thirty years after British industry primed our first generation of satellites we are delighted that the best of today’s British space industry will develop the technologies that will unleash further potential in the commercial space business.”