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The W2A telecommunication satellite will join the European Eutelsat operator fleet. It will be fitted to provide extension of the operator's missions such as video, broadband and telecommunication services but is also dedicated to deliver for the first time mobile multimedia broadcast services (Mobile TV, digital radio...) directly onto user terminals over key markets in western Europe via the band-S payload. This payload will be owned, operated and commercialised by a joint venture company created by SES and Eutelsat.

Mission
The Ku-band payload will enable Eutelsat to provide capacity for business networks and broadcasting services and additional capacity for expansion of services over Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Additionally, a second fixed beam will serve southern Africa and Indian Ocean islands. The C-band mission will provide pan-African coverage for broadband and telecommunications services.

Moreover, The state-of-the-art S-band payload at 2.2 GHz on W2A would allow the delivery, for the first time, of mobile multimedia broadcast services (Mobile TV, digital radio, ...) directly onto user terminals over key markets in western Europe. It will therefore initiate the building of hybrid infrastructure over Europe, combining satellite and terrestrial networks, providing both universal coverage and indoor penetration for Mobile TV services. W2A will also enable direct satellite communications, for example for security communications or crisis management.

Role of Thales Alenia Space and role of Alcatel-Lucent
Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the design, manufacturing, assembling, tests and on-ground delivery of the W2A satellite.
Alcatel-Lucent has signed with Samsung Electronics an agreement to develop mobile handsets compatible with the evolution of the DVB-H standard in the S-Band. This is part of Alcatel-Lucent's Unlimited Mobile TV solution. Alcatel-Lucent and Samsung will collaborate on interoperability testing in order to deliver a seamless end-to-end solution to operators and a high quality Mobile TV service to end-users.

Deeper in the program
Based on the Spacebus 4000C4 platform, W2A's missions also comprise up to 46 transponders in Ku-band and a C-band payload of 10 transponders. Designed with a lifetime of more than 15 years, W2A has a maximum launch mass of 5.7 tonnes and will deliver 11 kW of payload power.

Planning
The W2A satellite will be in orbit in the beginning of 2009. It is anticipated that the terrestrial deployment associated to this solution could start as early as end 2007.