The Airbus built EUTELSAT QUANTUM satellite has been shipped from the Airbus Defence and Space facilities in Toulouse to Kourou, French Guiana, ready for its launch at the end of July on an Ariane 5.
The EUTELSAT QUANTUM satellite is a revolutionary step forward for commercial satellites, offering very high customisation and flexibility. It will supply services with unprecedented in-orbit reconfigurability in coverage, frequency and power, allowing complete mission rehaul, at any orbital position.
EUTELSAT QUANTUM has been developed under an ESA Partnership Project with Airbus and Eutelsat. This ground breaking payload is embarked on the new geo satellite platform from Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (UK).
The satellite will provide communications on the move with dynamic beam shaping and vessel-tracking capabilities, optimised for power and throughput as required by maritime, aeronautical and land-based transportation. It will also enable bespoke design of wide-area data networks and dynamic traffic shaping, responding to demand where and when needed. In addition it will provide Government users with rapid response for public protection and disaster recovery as well as secure control using the latest encryption technology. The mass of the satellite at launch is 3.5 tonnes and its design lifetime is 15 years.