Thales Wins $400 Million Satellite Contract

Thales Alenia Space has won a contract worth about $400 million to build a satellite for Brazil's developing space programme.

The order, placed by Visiona is for a geostationary satellite for civil and military use.

Arianespace has been selected to launch the satellite.

The deal also allows for a transfer of technology between TAS and Brazil, making TAS the preferred industrial partner in building up Brazil's space programme.

A spokesman for TAS said that under the agreement, the company will handle telecommunication processes as well as meteorology and earth observation.

At the end of June, TAS chief executive Jean-Loic Galle said that Brazil planned to boost its programme with 12 meteorology and observation satellites and up to three additional telecommunications satellites in the next decade.

At the time, he said local authorities planned to spend $8 billion on the project.