Mar 18 2013
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., a leading National Security Solutions provider, announced today that its Kratos Integral Systems International (Kratos ISI) business unit has been awarded a contract by Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) to provide Command & Control systems for the AsiaSat 6 and AsiaSat 8 satellite programs.
AsiaSat will expand its use of Kratos ISI's industry-leading EPOCHTM Integrated Product Suite (IPS) Fleet Management System to support the AsiaSat 6 and AsiaSat 8 satellite programs. AsiaSat 6 will have 28 high-power C-band transponders, and AsiaSat 8 will have 24 Ku-band transponders and a Ka-band beam. The high-power transponders on the satellites will enable the use of small antennas on the ground. The two Space Systems/Loral 1300 satellites are currently under construction and scheduled for launch in the first half of 2014.
EPOCH IPS is used to support more than 50 Space Systems/Loral 1300 satellites around the globe, far more than any other Command & Control system in the world. The contract expands the number of AsiaSat satellites managed by EPOCH IPS to seven, including satellites supplied by three different manufacturers, demonstrating the flexibility and ease of use of EPOCH IPS to manage satellite fleets no matter the configuration or size.
"We are excited to have selected Kratos ISI as the Satellite Control Facility supplier for the two new additions to our expanding fleet - AsiaSat 6 and AsiaSat 8. Following their launches in the first half of 2014, we will be able to offer the highest transponder power ever for a broad range of satellite services in the Asia Pacific. Over the past years, AsiaSat has witnessed the continuous improvement of the EPOCH IPS family products, which reinforces our confidence in ISI's commitment to excellence. We are pleased to work with Kratos ISI again and are confident that Kratos ISI will deliver the project on time to support our upcoming launches," said Fred Ho, Director, Technical Operations of AsiaSat.
"There is no better testimony to the value of Kratos' products and the quality of our service than repeat awards from long-term customers," said James Kramer, Senior Vice President of Kratos ISI. "We are honored that AsiaSat has again selected Kratos ISI to expand their EPOCH IPS fleet management system to operate AsiaSat 6 and AsiaSat 8."
For 30 years, Kratos ISI has been a leading provider of satellite ground systems supporting approximately 300 satellite missions. Kratos ISI offers turnkey ground segments solutions encompassing Command & Control, RF/IF equipment, satellite and terrestrial communications signal monitoring systems, equipment and network management and payload management solutions. The company's EPOCH IPS, an all-in-one Fleet Management solution, is the most widely used Command & Control system with successful installations in five continents. Commercial clients include AsiaSat, Asia Broadcast Satellite, Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT), Chunghwa Telecom, EchoStar, Hellas Sat, Indovision, Intelsat, KT Corporation, PT Telkom, SatMex, SES, SingTel/Optus, SKY Perfect JSAT, Thaicom, and Telesat. Government clients include the National Space Organization (NSPO) of Taiwan, Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) of México, NASA, the U.S. Air Force and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Epoch IPS will be demonstrated in the Kratos booth #4024 at the Satellite 2013 exhibition, March 19-21, 2013, in Washington D.C., and at the National Space Symposium 2013, booth # 408, April 8-11, 2013, in Colorado Springs, CO.