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Eutelsat Quantum

May 16, 2019

Non-EO

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Operational (nominal)

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Eutelsat

Quick facts

Overview

Mission typeNon-EO
AgencyEutelsat
Mission statusOperational (nominal)
Launch date30 Jul 2021
CEOS EO HandbookSee Eutelsat Quantum summary

Eutelsat Quantum

Spacecraft    Launch   Mission Status    References

Overview

The Eutelsat Quantum satellite of Paris-based Eutelsat Communications marks a revolutionary step forward for commercial satellites, offering unprecedented customization and flexibility. 1)

1) A pioneer in the field of commercial satellites

The Eutelsat Quantum satellite is a world first, marking the start of a new era of commercial satellites. Putting agility and flexibility in the hands of our customers, the satellite paves the way for dynamic resource management to meet changing demands in realtime.

Traditionally, commercial satellites are designed for a fifteen year lifetime. However, with a three-year procurement and building phase, their design must take into account the needs to be addressed over a cycle of eighteen years, despite evolving markets and commercial environments.

Eutelsat Quantum's revolutionary approach can be summed up in one word: flexibility. Flexibility in coverage, power, frequency and bandwidth. Each of these features can be reconfigured in-orbit throughout the satellite’s lifetime, to efficiently serve applications and ensure optimal use of resources at all times. Customers will no longer have to predict market requirements or anticipate changes in the future: with this new way of managing day-to-day operations they will be able to tailor coverages to their immediate needs.

2) A software-driven satellite

Eutelsat Quantum represents the culmination of many years of research and evaluation driven by Eutelsat, and supported by major partners such as the ESA, the UK Space Agency, and Airbus.

Powerful operational software ensures that the payload resources are used as efficiently as possible, to predict, operate and manage the on-board configuration and reconfiguration of the satellite. This level of flexibility requires the ability to accurately simulate, optimize and control the satellite once it is in orbit.

Our customers will have their own software to implement the on-board configuration they require, while operators manage and operate the satellite in its optimal configuration without interference within the satellite or with other nearby satellites.

3) A new standard of customization

The satellite’s flexible behavior enables it to adapt to its environment, giving customers in the government, mobility and data markets the ability to vary coverages based on their immediate needs and allocate resources between beams and regions, optimizing their capacity use. The majority of Eutelsat Quantum’s capacity has already been reserved, notably by American operator, Peraton, demonstrating the commercial interest in the satellite.

While Eutelsat Quantum's flexibility in terms of coverage, power and spectrum reconfiguration is significant, its beam tracking and hopping capabilities extend its boundaries even further. Beam reconfiguration enables Eutelsat Quantum to track mobile terminals. For example, in the marine industry, a beam can now be reconfigured to seamlessly track the progress of a terminal across an ocean, without having to lease multiple beams to cover the relevant regions.

4) A forerunner in tomorrow's space industry

Eutelsat Quantum is leading the way for a paradigm shift in building telecommunications satellites.

Taking inspiration from Eutelsat Quantum, satellites built according to a standard specification and configured in orbit could be mass produced, unlike the custom-made production of traditional satellites, which are configured during construction. Eutelsat Quantum could be the first step in a “quantum leap” forward for the satellite communications industry, while at the same time meeting the evolving needs of our customers.

Figure 1: Scheduled for launch in 2019, the EUTELSAT QUANTUM satellite is a revolutionary step forward for commercial satellites, offering unprecedented customization and flexibility (video credit: Eutelsat SA, Published on Feb 26, 2018)

 

The development of the core technologies integrated into the Eutelsat Quantum project will be supported by ESA and the UK Space Agency within the framework of a PPP (Public-Private Partnership) signed today by ESA, Eutelsat and Airbus Defence and Space on the occasion of the inauguration of ESA’s new center in the UK. The Quantum satellite program is of the ESA Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES 33.3) program, supported by the UK Space Agency. Eutelsat Communications will commercialize and operate the satellite. 2)

The Quantum satellite is the first fully flexible, scalable and generic payload in Ku-band using the first GEO-platform from SSTL. The prime contractor of the project is Airbus DS. SSTL, a subsidiary of Airbus, was contracted to build the GMP-T small satellite bus platform.

Michel de Rosen, Chairman and CEO of Eutelsat said: “Eutelsat Quantum is the first of a new generation of satellite that has agility, adaptability, responsiveness and performance at its core. It is the culmination of many years of research and evaluation driven by Eutelsat, and marks a new age of maturity for the commercial satellite business. We are proud to be spearheading this initiative in partnership with ESA and Airbus Defence and Space with the support of the UK Space Agency.”

Eutelsat Quantum's in-orbit reprogrammable features will set a new standard in flexibility and will principally address markets that are highly changeable and mobile.

• For communications on the move, it will offer dynamic beam shaping and vessel-tracking capabilities that can be optimized for power and throughput as required by maritime, aeronautical and land-based transportation.

• For data networks, it will support the design of wide-area networks and dynamic traffic shaping, responding to demand where and when needed.

• For government users, it will provide rapid response for public protection and disaster recovery as well as secure control using the latest encryption technology.



 

Spacecraft

Eutelsat Quantum will be the first generation of universal satellites able to serve any region of the world and adjust to new business without the user needing to procure and launch an entirely new satellite. Featuring phased array antennas and flexible connectivity, which is fully reconfigurable in orbit, Quantum will be able to adjust its coverage and capacity to suit customers’ needs as and when they change.

Airbus used its Portsmouth facility to develop the adaptable telecoms payload, and its subsidiary SSTL (Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd) in Guildford to make the spacecraft bus, or chassis. The new new spacecraft bus for beyond-LEO applications, called VAMP (Versatile Altitude Mini-Platform), can carry a 500 kg payload. Possible missions include geosynchronous telecommunications, in-orbit servicers, or interplanetary missions. VAMP draws from the GIOVE-A, a navigation satellite launched for the European Space Agency in 2005.

The first Quantum satellite will have a launch mass of 3,500 kg, power of 5 kW, and an all Ku-band communications payload mass of 450 kg. It will be launched using conventional thruster propulsion and will have a designed lifespan of more than15 years.

Eutelsat Quantum represents the culmination of many years of research and evaluation driven by Eutelsat, and supported by ESA, the UK Space Agency, and Airbus. Powerful operational software ensures that the payload resources are used as efficiently as possible, to predict, operate and manage the on-board configuration and reconfiguration of the satellite. This level of flexibility requires the ability to accurately simulate, optimize and control the satellite once it is in orbit. Eutelsat’s customers will have their own software to implement the on-board configuration they require, while operators manage and operate the satellite in its optimal configuration without interference within the satellite or with other nearby satellites.

A new standard of customization: The satellite’s flexible behavior enables it to adapt to its environment, giving customers in the government, mobility and data markets the ability to vary coverages based on their immediate needs and allocate resources between beams and regions, optimizing their capacity use. The majority of Eutelsat Quantum’s capacity has already been reserved, notably by Peraton, demonstrating the commercial interest in the satellite.

 


 

Development Status

• July 26, 2021: A European telecommunications satellite that can be completely repurposed while in orbit has been placed on board a rocket ready for launch on 30 July. 3)

- Developed under an ESA Partnership Project with satellite operator Eutelsat and prime manufacturer Airbus, Eutelsat Quantum is the first commercial fully flexible software-defined satellite in the world.

- Because it can be reprogrammed in orbit, it can respond to changing demands for data transmission and secure communications during its 15-year lifetime.

- Its beams can be redirected to move in almost real time to provide information to passengers on board moving ships or planes. The beams also can be easily adjusted to deliver more data when demand surges.

- The satellite can detect and characterize any rogue emissions, enabling it to respond dynamically to accidental interference or intentional jamming.

Figure 2: The satellite will be launched on board an Ariane 5 rocket operated by Arianespace from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana (image credit: ESA/ArianeGroup/Arianespace/CNES)
Figure 2: The satellite will be launched on board an Ariane 5 rocket operated by Arianespace from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana (image credit: ESA/ArianeGroup/Arianespace/CNES)

• July 20, 2021: A sophisticated telecommunications satellite capable of being completely repurposed in orbit has been fuelled ready for its launch. 4)

- Developed under an ESA Partnership Project called Quantum, the satellite is pioneering a new generation of fully reconfigurable satellites that can respond while in orbit to changing demands on Earth during their 15-year lifetimes.

- It is the first reprogrammable commercial telecommunications satellite to operate in a high-frequency radio range called the Ku band that is used for data transmission and secure communications, notably with ships at sea.

- Its beams can be redirected to move in almost real time to provide information to passengers on board moving planes or ships. The beams can also be adjusted at the push of a button, so that more data is delivered when demand surges.

- The successful development and manufacture of the satellite resulted from the contribution of all industrial partners under an ESA Partnership Project with satellite operator Eutelsat. It is a UK flagship project with most of the satellite developed and manufactured by UK industry. Airbus is the prime and was responsible for manufacturing the satellite’s payload and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd manufactured the new platform.

- ESA Partnership Projects maximize benefits to the European and Canadian space industries by forging trusted partnerships, thanks to efficient co-management tailored to commercial best practices.

Figure 3: The satellite has now been fuelled with propellant and oxidizer. These will be ignited after the satellite has left its Ariane 5 launcher in the low-Earth orbit phase of the launch and will enable it to circularize its orbit to reach its final geostationary position some 36,000 km above the Earth. The remaining fuel will be used to maintain the satellite in its correct position during its expected 15-year lifetime (image credit: ESA)
Figure 3: The satellite has now been fuelled with propellant and oxidizer. These will be ignited after the satellite has left its Ariane 5 launcher in the low-Earth orbit phase of the launch and will enable it to circularize its orbit to reach its final geostationary position some 36,000 km above the Earth. The remaining fuel will be used to maintain the satellite in its correct position during its expected 15-year lifetime (image credit: ESA)

• July 16, 2021: Satellite operator SES is leading a consortium to design a system for guarding communications in Luxembourg against cyberattacks, which could feed into Europe’s broader plan for a network that is also protected by quantum technology. 5)

- The consortium will devise a satellite and terrestrial network for Luxembourg’s Quantum Communications Infrastructure (LuxQCI) project, which Luxembourg’s government is coordinating.

Figure 4: The LuxQCI consortium will spend the next few months defining the scope of project, and how it can support other European Union members (image credit: SES)
Figure 4: The LuxQCI consortium will spend the next few months defining the scope of project, and how it can support other European Union members (image credit: SES)

- One of LuxQCI’s main features will be its use of quantum mechanics to distribute encryption keys, more securely than networks that currently encrypt most of the world’s communications.

- It aims to shield the communications networks surrounding confidential data, financial transactions, power grids and other critical infrastructure against evolving cybersecurity threats.

- It comes as a slew of recent cyberattacks in the U.S. shines a spotlight on the need to improve network security.

- The CEO of U.S. software company Kaseya told Reuters July 5 that between 800 and 1,500 businesses worldwide have been affected by an attack that targeted its operations.

- A separate attack in May closed a U.S. pipeline that provides a significant portion of gasoline and jet fuel to the East Coast.

- Luxembourg-headquartered SES is leading the new consortium through its fully owned affiliate SES Techcom, a solutions provider.

- The other members of the group are also based in Luxembourg: IT infrastructure public agency InCert, consultancy itrust, data center company LuxConnect, digital solutions provider LuxTrust and the University of Luxembourg’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT).

- Satellite-enabled cybersecurity will be an integral element of reliable quantum communications infrastructures, according to SES CEO Steve Collar.

- “The safe and intrusion-resistant data exchange mechanisms developed here will serve as a flagship project that can be replicated on a wider European scale,” Collar said in a statement when the consortium was announced July 13.

- Europe is developing a broader European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI) initiative, aiming to be a federation of national networks across the region.

- Luxembourg was among the first seven of the European Union’s 27 members to participate in EuroQCI, which the European Commission launched in June 2019 but remains in a very early stage.

- Airbus said May 31 that it is leading a consortium to develop EuroQCI, securing a 15-month study contract.

- SES spokesperson Suzanne Ong said the consortium it is leading will spend the next few months defining the scope of LuxQCI, and how it can best support other member states of the European Union.

- “The study will act as a basis where its findings can be implemented beyond Luxembourg to serve wider European QCI ambitions and make such an infrastructure scalable,” Ong said.

- Arqit, the British startup in the middle of becoming a public company, aims to raise $400 million for a quantum technology encryption network.

- The venture said June 11 that it is developing a federated version of this network, in partnership with the governments of Japan, Canada, Italy, Belgium, Austria, the U.S. and U.K.

• July 13, 2021: Soon Eutelsat Quantum will be launched into a geostationary orbit on board an Ariane 5 from Kourou. This advanced telecommunications satellite is revolutionary as it offers its users the ability to reconfigure the satellite while in orbit. This offers a previously unknown degree of flexibility during its 15-year lifetime. It allows for satellites of this type to be mass-produced, making them extremely interesting for commercial parties and industry. The satellite was developed as an ESA partnership project with operator Eutelsat and prime contractor Airbus working together with ESA to share the risk of developing this innovative piece of technology. 6)

Figure 5: Eutelsat Quantum will be launched into a geostationary orbit on board an Ariane 5 from Kourou in late July (video credit: ESA)

• June 30, 2021: An advanced telecommunications satellite that can be completely repurposed in orbit has arrived at its launch site of Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. 7)

Figure 6: Quantum satellite inside the Antonov cargo plan. Developed under an ESA Partnership Project, Quantum will be able to respond to changing demands on Earth during its 15-year lifetime, providing data, communications and entertainment exactly where and when it is wanted (image credit: ESA)
Figure 6: Quantum satellite inside the Antonov cargo plan. Developed under an ESA Partnership Project, Quantum will be able to respond to changing demands on Earth during its 15-year lifetime, providing data, communications and entertainment exactly where and when it is wanted (image credit: ESA)

- Rather than broadcast to Earth with fixed beams, Quantum will let people choose where to point their beams. These can move in virtual real time to provide information to passengers on board moving planes or ships. The beams can also be adjusted at the push of a button, so that more data is delivered when demand surges.

- The satellite was developed by ESA with operator Eutelsat and satellite manufacturers Airbus as the prime manufacturer and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd for the platform.

- ESA Partnership Projects federate European industry around large-scale programs, developing innovative cutting-edge solutions in partnership with private or public operators. They support end-to-end space systems from start-up to in-orbit validation. After that, the commercial partners operate the system.

- On 29 June the satellite took its last Earth-bound journey before it is launched into space. It was loaded onto an Antonov cargo plane and flown from Toulouse in France to Cayenne’s Félix Eboué Airport in French Guiana, then transported by road to Europe’s Spaceport.

- Quantum will launch on board an Ariane 5 this summer to a geostationary transfer orbit from where it will continue to geostationary orbit some 36,000 km above Earth.

- François Gaullier, Head of Telecom Systems at Airbus, said: “The technology we have developed and built for Eutelsat Quantum is truly game changing, paving the way to fully reconfigurable geostationary telecommunications satellites. Our experience in pioneering this revolutionary technology demonstrates the value of partnerships – bringing together the best from Eutelsat, ESA and Airbus to achieve a new standard in flexible connectivity.”

- Elodie Viau, Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications at ESA, said: “Investing in space improves life on Earth by creating high-value jobs in the space industry and fostering new innovations, while boosting commercialization for a green and digital Europe.”

• July 27, 2020: The first European satellite capable of being completely repurposed after launch — developed within an ESA Partnership Project — has concluded its radio-frequency tests at a specialized facility in Toulouse, France. 8)

Figure 7: The first European satellite capable of being completely repurposed after launch — developed within an ESA Partnership Project — has concluded its radio-frequency tests at a specialized facility in Toulouse. Quantum is the first ever software-defined satellite, preparing the way for the next generation of telecommunication satellites that can be reprogrammed in orbit. It offers unprecedented in-orbit reconfigurability in coverage, frequency and power, which allows for complete mission rehauls including changes in orbital position (image credit: ESA)
Figure 7: The first European satellite capable of being completely repurposed after launch — developed within an ESA Partnership Project — has concluded its radio-frequency tests at a specialized facility in Toulouse. Quantum is the first ever software-defined satellite, preparing the way for the next generation of telecommunication satellites that can be reprogrammed in orbit. It offers unprecedented in-orbit reconfigurability in coverage, frequency and power, which allows for complete mission rehauls including changes in orbital position (image credit: ESA)

- Quantum is the first ever software-defined satellite, preparing the way for the next generation of telecommunication satellites that can be reprogrammed in orbit. It offers unprecedented in-orbit reconfigurability in coverage, frequency and power, which allows for complete mission rehauls including changes in orbital position.

- Engineers involved in the Quantum Partnership Project from manufacturer Airbus, operator Eutelsat and ESA have developed new working practices that have enabled them to keep working during the coronavirus pandemic. This ensures that the satellite will be fully ready to launch later in the year.

- The radio-frequency tests are the last time that the payload of Quantum will be switched on until after its launch.

- Shawn Locke, ESA payload engineer for Quantum, said: “Due to the inherent flexible nature of the Quantum solution, the approach to validation was far from conventional, requiring a complex range of frequencies and configurations. We have been working closely in partnership with Eutelsat,Airbus and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd to ensure optimal spacecraft performance in orbit. This partnership has leveraged a valuable range of technical expertise from the different stakeholders, facilitating a successful design, build and test of this unique mission.”

- Silvia Fedi, another ESA payload engineer for Quantum, said: “The payload comprises a receiver section manufactured by Airbus in Spain and a processing and transmitting element developed by Airbus in the UK, employing hardware from all over Europe. It is a highly innovative architecture, providing unprecedented flexibility during operation. The teams have been working on this since 2015 and it is rewarding to see the culmination of these efforts as the satellite finishes the final validation.”

- The development of the Quantum satellite under an ESA Partnership Project has been an enabler for European industry, paving the way for the new generation of standardized telecommunications satellites, which will be more flexible and so more adaptable to customer needs once in orbit.

- ESA Partnership Projects allow European industry to maintain and continue developing their competitiveness on the worldwide commercial market and enable greater risk sharing, where ESA bears the risks related to the development of innovative solutions and the partner assumes the commercial risks to respond to market needs.

Figure 8: Detail of Quantum satellite in radio-frequency test chamber. The first European satellite capable of being completely repurposed after launch — developed within an ESA Partnership Project — has concluded its radio-frequency tests at a specialized facility in Toulouse. Quantum is the first ever software-defined satellite, preparing the way for the next generation of telecommunication satellites that can be reprogrammed in orbit. It offers unprecedented in-orbit reconfigurability in coverage, frequency and power, which allows for complete mission rehauls including changes in orbital position (image credit: ESA)
Figure 8: Detail of Quantum satellite in radio-frequency test chamber. The first European satellite capable of being completely repurposed after launch — developed within an ESA Partnership Project — has concluded its radio-frequency tests at a specialized facility in Toulouse. Quantum is the first ever software-defined satellite, preparing the way for the next generation of telecommunication satellites that can be reprogrammed in orbit. It offers unprecedented in-orbit reconfigurability in coverage, frequency and power, which allows for complete mission rehauls including changes in orbital position (image credit: ESA)

• March 2, 2020: Quantum – the innovative software-programmable satellite ordered by Eutelsat under an ESA Partnership Project – has successfully completed its mechanical test campaign at the Airbus facilities in Toulouse. The test demonstrates the ability of the satellite to withstand the strong shaking that occurs during launch. 9)

- The project partners – ESA, manufacturer Airbus and operator Eutelsat – were very pleased by the excellent performance achieved.

- “After completion of the mechanical testing, we ran the satellite through a vigorous series of health checks. Despite exposure to the most extreme mechanical loads, this newly developed satellite, with a brand-new platform developed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd in the UK, performed outstandingly,” said Simon Weinberg, ESA project manager.

- Now that the environmental tests are over, the satellite will undergo one last verification cycle, which will include the final testing of its innovative and flexible payload, developed by Airbus in the UK and in Spain. — It will then be finally prepared for launch.

- The development of the Quantum satellite under an ESA Partnership Project has been an enabler for European industry, paving the way for the new generation of standardized telecommunications satellites, which will be more flexible and so more adaptable to customer needs once in orbit.

- ESA Partnership Projects allow European industry to maintain and continue developing their competitiveness on the worldwide commercial market and enable greater risk sharing, where ESA bears the risks related to the development of innovative solutions and the partner assumes the commercial risks to respond to market needs.

Figure 9: Quantum satellite at the mechanical test facility in Toulouse (image credit: Airbus)
Figure 9: Quantum satellite at the mechanical test facility in Toulouse (image credit: Airbus)

• November 21, 2019: Airbus, ESA and Eutelsat have presented the new ground-breaking multibeam active antenna payload today at Airbus in Madrid, Spain. Airbus’ ELSA+ (ELectronically Steerable Antenna+) is a first for commercial satellite communications in Europe. The versatility of its performance represents a step change for communications satellites with a spacecraft able for the first time to adapt to the customers’ business cases as and when needed by means of software control. 10)

Figure 10: The ELSA+ antenna is a first for European commercial telecommunications. The satellite can be reconfigured in orbit, giving maximum flexibility to the operator (image credit: Airbus)
Figure 10: The ELSA+ antenna is a first for European commercial telecommunications. The satellite can be reconfigured in orbit, giving maximum flexibility to the operator (image credit: Airbus)

- The electronically steerable reception antenna, works in Ku-band with eight independent reconfigurable beams. This inherent flexibility enables the operator to reconfigure the radio frequency beams over the coverage zone, allowing for an unprecedented flexibility in multimedia and broadcasting services.

- In addition, these capabilities can be implemented on each beam either independently or simultaneously including hop up to several tens of predefined different configurations per beam (beam hopping).

- Another new feature is the capability of the antenna to mitigate possible interference, intended or not, thanks to its ability to GEO locate any interference and null them.

- This new antenna technology complements new generation fully digital payloads where the operator can thus change the orbit position, frequencies and the power of their spacecraft.

- Airbus Defence and Space in Spain is the prime contractor for this advanced instrument developed over four years. Airbus led an industrial group that included a group of 12 European companies, eight of them Spanish, to build this advanced system.

- Innovative design and manufacture of active antennas is one of the Airbus strengths in Spain. ELSA+ builds on previous developments such as: the DRA/ELSA for Hispasat 36W1, IRMA (In-orbit Reconfigurable Multibeam Antenna) on board SpainSat for secure military communications, as well as the Gaia active antenna that transmits large amounts of data as the spacecraft maps a billion stars. These systems are all operating successfully in orbit.

- “With ELSA+ we are entering a whole new game in satellite telecommunications, this is just a starting point and a reference for future missions,” said Fernando Varela, Head of Airbus Space Systems in Spain, “we are constantly evolving this technology, and Airbus is already developing the future generation antennas for the SpainSat-NG program.”

- This new development for the Eutelsat Quantum satellite positions Airbus in Spain as the leader in Europe for active antennas. The project has been possible thanks to the support of CDTI (Spanish Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial) and the European Space Agency. Quantum is being built under an ARTES Partnership Project between manufacturers Airbus and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, operator Eutelsat and ESA. ESA’s Partnership Projects aim to achieve economic impacts and competitive leaps forward federating industry around large-scale programs.

- Eutelsat Quantum satellite is a revolutionary step forward for commercial satellites, offering very high customization and flexibility. It will supply services with unprecedented in-orbit reconfigurability in coverage, frequency and power, allowing complete mission rehaul, including orbital position.

- The mass of the satellite at launch is 3.5 tons and its design lifetime is 15 years. The Eutelsat Quantum satellite is due to be launched 2nd half of 2020.

• August 6, 2019: Manufacturing delays and launcher availability mean Eutelsat Communications’ “chameleon satellite” won’t launch until the second half of 2020 instead of late this year as planned. 11)

- The setback means Paris-based Eutelsat, having just overcome a delay with a consumer broadband initiative in Africa, will have to defer a second growth effort, this one focused on government connectivity.

- Eutelsat Quantum is a software-defined, reprogrammable satellite from Airbus Defence and Space and its British subsidiary Surrey Satellite Technology Limited. The European Space Agency helped finance the satellite, which carries new technologies for changing the size, shape and power of satellite beams.

- European launch provider Arianespace is contracted to launch the satellite on an Ariane 5 rocket.

- Eutelsat now projects revenue from Quantum to start in fiscal 2021, CEO Rodolphe Belmer said during a July 31 earnings call. Belmer said Quantum is expected to generate significant revenues starting in fiscal year 2021 since a substantial portion of its capacity is already reserved.

- Eutelsat said in 2018 that U.S. defense contractor Peraton had booked the majority of Eutelsat Quantum’s capacity. Belmer estimated the satellite will generate around 40 million euros annually, similar to the average across its constellation of nearly 40 geostationary satellites.

• May 15, 2019: The payload and platform of the first European satellite that can be completely reprogrammed after launch have been successfully joined together. 12)

Figure 11: The communications module of Quantum is slowly lowered onto the service module (image credit: ESA, Airbus)
Figure 11: The communications module of Quantum is slowly lowered onto the service module (image credit: ESA, Airbus)

- The assembly of Eutelsat Quantum took place in the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, on 10 May.

- The satellite has been developed as an ESA Partnership Project with satellite operator Eutelsat and satellite manufacturer Airbus, under ESA’s program of ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications System), leveraging on SSTL (Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd), which provided the satellite’s innovative platform.

- Eutelsat Quantum will allow its users to actively define and shape the performance and reach they need from the satellite.

- Because Eutelsat Quantum takes a software-driven approach, changes can be made while it is in orbit, such as adjusting the satellite’s coverage, frequency and power, which enables it to operate from any orbital position.

Figure 12: Photo of the Quantum satellite after mating of payload and service module (image credit: Airbus)
Figure 12: Photo of the Quantum satellite after mating of payload and service module (image credit: Airbus)

- The successful mating of the payload and platform demonstrates the excellent capabilities of Airbus, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd and their suppliers, both in the conception and the realization of the new technologies deployed in this innovative satellite.

- ARTES Partnerships Projects help European and Canadian space industries to develop new products and services, supporting the introduction of novel technologies and solutions that might not otherwise reach the market.

- The Quantum partnership has the strong backing of the UK Space Agency and includes Airbus UK as prime contractor and payload provider. With Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, Airbus UK manufactured and integrated most of the satellite’s cutting-edge equipment.

- The completed satellite will now be tested under the harsh conditions needed to simulate both launch and the space environment in which it will orbit the Earth.

• January 9, 2019: SSTL (Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.) has completed the build of the platform for Eutelsat Quantum, the world’s first geostationary telecommunications satellite that will be fully reconfigurable in orbit. Today, the SSTL satellite platform was handed over to Airbus who will complete the satellite assembly and testing in Toulouse. 13) 14)

- The Eutelsat Quantum platform consists of a precision-engineered composite central thrust tube standing at 2.5 m tall which houses a bipropellant chemical propulsion system that will enable the satellite to stay on station throughout its 15 year lifetime, and SSTL’s newly developed GEO momentum wheels and gyro which will maintain the satellite in a stable attitude and enable adjustments in the satellite’s orbital position.

- Sarah Parker, Managing Director of SSTL said “The completion of our work on the Eutelsat Quantum satellite platform is an important milestone for SSTL as it represents our first venture into the global commercial telecoms satellite market. The design and assembly of this innovative spacecraft has enabled us to advance the knowledge and skills required to develop highly capable satellite products for the evolving telecoms market, where we are actively engaged in seeking new opportunities.”

- Quantum has emerged from a project initiated in 2014 and originally codenamed "AnySAT".

Figure 13: The partners for the Eutelsat Quantum mission are pictured. From left to right: Stéphane Lascar, ESA Head of the Telecommunications Satellite Program's Department, Sarah Parker, SSTL Managing Director, Yohann Leroy, Eutelsat Deputy CEO and Chief Technical Officer, and David Phillips, Airbus UK Head of UK Program (image credit: SSTL)
Figure 13: The partners for the Eutelsat Quantum mission are pictured. From left to right: Stéphane Lascar, ESA Head of the Telecommunications Satellite Program's Department, Sarah Parker, SSTL Managing Director, Yohann Leroy, Eutelsat Deputy CEO and Chief Technical Officer, and David Phillips, Airbus UK Head of UK Program (image credit: SSTL)

Figure 14: A video showing the build of the platform for the Eutelsat Quantum telecommunications satellite at SSTL. The platform consists of a composite central thrust tube housing a bipropellant chemical propulsion system, GEO momentum wheels and gyro which will maintain the satellite's orbital position (video credit: SSTL,Published on 9 January 2019)
Figure 15: Artist's rendition of the deployed EutelSat Quantum spacecraft (image credit: ESA)
Figure 15: Artist's rendition of the deployed EutelSat Quantum spacecraft (image credit: ESA)


Launch

Europe’s Ariane 5 has delivered two telecom satellites Star One D2 and Eutelsat Quantum into their planned transfer orbits. Arianespace announced liftoff on 30 July 2021 at 21:00 UTC (18:00 local time) from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, for a mission lasting about 37 minutes. - Flight VA254 was the 110th Ariane 5 mission. 15)

Star One D2, with a launch mass of 6187 kg, in the upper berth of the fairing was released first.

Following a series of burns controlled by Ariane’s computer, the Sylda structure encasing the 3461 kg Eutelsat Quantum payload was then jettisoned before Eutelsat Quantum was released into its own geostationary transfer orbit.

Star One D2 is owned by Maxar and operated by Brazilian operator Embratel. It will deliver broadband coverage to regions in Central and South America. It has a design life of 15 years.

Eutelsat Quantum, developed under an ESA partnership project with satellite operator Eutelsat and prime manufacturer Airbus, is the first commercial fully flexible software-defined satellite in the world.

Star One D2 is a high-capacity, multi-mission satellite with Ku-, Ka-, C- and X-band transponders that will enable it to expand broadband coverage to new regions in Central and South America, provide internet access to underserved populations and add an updated X-band payload for government use over the Atlantic region. Built on Maxar’s proven 1300-class platform at the company’s Palo Alto, California, manufacturing facility, Star One D2 will improve access to high-quality services, serving the parabolic fleet in Brazil, Pay TV, cell phone backhaul, data, video and Internet for corporate customers and government agencies.

Eutelsat Quantum was developed under a public-private partnership between the European Space Agency (ESA), operator Eutelsat and Airbus Defence and Space. Using a software-based design, Eutelsat Quantum will be the world’s first universal satellite to repeatedly adjust to business requirements. It features an electronically steerable receiving antenna and operates in Ku-band with eight independent reconfigurable beams. This configuration allows the operator to reconfigure in-orbit the radio-frequency beams over the coverage zones, providing unprecedented flexibility in data, government and mobility services.

Orbit: GEO (Geosynchronous Orbit) over the equator at an altitude of 35,786 km, location at 48º East.



 

Mission Status

• November 15, 2021: Eutelsat have just announced that in-orbit testing of the EUTELSAT QUANTUM satellite has been completed, with all subsystems and the payload working successfully and the spacecraft now operational at 48 degrees East. The operational success of the spacecraft, which was launched on 30 July 2021, marks a pinnacle milestone in SSTL’s journey to further develop its capability beyond LEO and MEO, which began ten years ago with funding from ARTES - ESA’s program of Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems. The development was consolidated with a contract in 2015 to supply the platform, propulsion panels, payload interface unit, gyros and wheels for the EUTELSAT QUANTUM mission. 16)

- The successful commissioning of the spacecraft is the culmination of the hard work and expertise of our engineers – it means that our small GEO platform is functioning as designed, our propulsion system has successfully delivered the satellite to its operational position, our wheels are maintaining satellite stability, our Payload Interface Unit is linking the telecommunications payload to the spacecraft’s systems, and our gyros are providing accurate data to support orbit maneuvers and to continue maintaining spacecraft stability.

- Approximately 100 staff at SSTL worked on the EUTELSAT QUANTUM project during the peak of the development and we have gained valuable knowledge and expertise that will help us to address our future ambitions and explore new horizons, such as Lunar communications.

- The EUTELSAT QUANTUM satellite was developed within the framework of a Public-Private Partnership between Eutelsat and ESA as part of ESA’s ARTES program. Airbus Defence and Space was the Space Segment prime and also provided the flexible payload for the spacecraft.

- EUTELSAT QUANTUM is the first of a new generation of fully reconfigurable telecommunications satellites that can respond to changing demands on Earth and it is the first reprogrammable commercial telecommunications satellite to operate in a high-frequency radio range called the Ku band which is used for data transmission and secure communications, notably for ships at sea. The satellite's beams can be redirected to move in almost real time to provide information to passengers on board moving planes or ships and can also be adjusted at the push of a button, so that more data is delivered when demand surges.

Figure 16: Propulsion tanks fitted to the EUTELSAT QUANTUM structure at SSTL (image credit: SSTL)
Figure 16: Propulsion tanks fitted to the EUTELSAT QUANTUM structure at SSTL (image credit: SSTL)

• November 10, 2021: A telecommunications satellite that can be reprogrammed in-orbit, offering unprecedented mission reconfiguration capacity, has successfully passed its in-orbit acceptance review. 17)

- Developed under an ESA Partnership Project with satellite operator Eutelsat and prime manufacturer Airbus, Eutelsat Quantum is pioneering a new wave of flexible satellites developed with the European space industry.

- The satellite was launched on 30 July on board an Ariane 5 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana and reached its final orbit position a few days later at 48°E covering a wide angle from West Africa to the Strait of Malacca in South East Asia.

- Since then, it has been fully end-to-end tested and commissioned, its performance has been verified and its ground operations validated.

- The flexible software-defined satellite is now ready to enter commercial service and will provide data and mobile communications for governments and other users through its France-based operator, Eutelsat.

- Because it can be reprogrammed in orbit, and at any time, it can respond to changing demands for data transmission and secure communications during its 15-year lifetime.

- Its beams can be reshaped and redirected to move in almost real time to provide information to passengers on board moving planes, ships, trucks and cars. The beams also can be easily adjusted to deliver more data when demand surges.

- The satellite can detect and characterize any rogue emissions, enabling it to respond dynamically to any accidental interference or intentional jamming.

- Eutelsat Quantum is a UK flagship project with most of the satellite developed and manufactured by British industry. Airbus was the prime contractor and was responsible for building the satellite’s innovative payload, while Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd manufactured the new platform. The innovative phase array antenna was developed by Airbus in Spain.

- ESA Partnership Projects federate the European space industry around large-scale programs, achieving competitive leaps forward and related economic impacts.



References

1) ”Four things you should know about Eutelsat Quantum,” Eutelsat, 26 February 2018, URL: https://www.eutelsat.com/en/news.html#/blog_posts/
four-things-you-should-know-about-eutelsat-quantum-69078

2) ”'Universal’ Eutelsat Quantum satellite to revolutionize telecoms markets. Eutelsat Quantum Public-Private Partnership signed by Eutelsat, ESA, Airbus Defence and Space,” Eutelsat Press Release, 9 July 2015, URL: https://news.eutelsat.com/pressreleases/
universal-eutelsat-quantum-satellite-to-revolutionise-telecoms-markets-1190652

3) ”One of the last glimpses of the Eutelsat Quantum satellite,” ESA Applications, 26 July 2021, URL: https://www.esa.int/Applications/
Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Reprogrammable_satellite_is_ready_for_launch

4) ”Eutelsat Quantum is fuelled prior to launch,” ESA Agency, 20 July 2021, URL: https://www.esa.int/Applications/
Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Reprogrammable_satellite_fuelled_prior_to_launch

5) Jason Rainbow, ”SES spearheading quantum technology encryption network for Luxembourg,” SpaceNews, 16 July 2021, URL: https://spacenews.com/
ses-spearheading-quantum-technology-encryption-network-for-luxembourg/

6) ”Eutelsat Quantum: Europe’s reprogrammable satellite,” ESA Applications, 13 July 2021, URL: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2021/07/Eutelsat_Quantum_Europe_s_reprogrammable_satellite

7) ”Reprogrammable satellite shipped to launch site,” ESA Applications, 30 June 2021, URL: https://www.esa.int/Applications/
Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Reprogrammable_satellite_shipped_to_launch_site

8) ”Quantum completes radio-frequency tests,” ESA Applications, 27 July 2020, URL: https://www.esa.int/Applications/
Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Quantum_completes_radio-frequency_tests

9) ”Quantum satellite completes vibration tests,” ESA / Applications / Telecommunications & Integrated Applications, 2 March 2020, URL: http://www.esa.int/Applications/
Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Quantum_satellite_completes_vibration_tests

10) ”Airbus presents ground-breaking technology for Eutelsat Quantum,” Airbus Press Release, 21 November 2019, URL:  https://web.archive.org/web/20211011150728/https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2019/11/airbus-presents-groundbreaking-technology-for-eutelsat-quantum.html

11) Caleb Henry, ”Eutelsat CEO: Quantum satellite delayed, C-Band Alliance divided on treasury contribution,” Space News, 6 August 2019, URL: https://spacenews.com/
eutelsat-ceo-quantum-satellite-delayed-c-band-alliance-divided-on-treasury-contribution/

12) ”Reprogrammable satellite takes shape,” ESA, 15 May 2019, URL: http://www.esa.int/
Our_Activities/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Reprogrammable_satellite_takes_shape

13) ”SSTL completes small geostationary platform build for EUTELSAT QUANTUM,” SSTL Press Release, 9 January 2019, URL: https://www.sstl.co.uk/media-hub/latest-news
/2019/sstl-completes-small-geostationary-platform-build-

14) ”World-First chameleon satellite leaving native British shores,” ESA, 9 January 2019, URL: https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications
/World-first_chameleon_satellite_leaving_native_British_shores

15) ”Ariane 5 launches pioneering reprogrammable telecommunications satellite,” ESA Enabling & Support, 30 July 2021, URL: https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/
Ariane/Ariane_5_launches_pioneering_reprogrammable_telecommunications_satellite

16) ”Success for SSTL’s Small GEO Platform as EUTELSAT QUANTUM Completes In-Orbit Testing,” SSTL News, 15 November 2021, URL: https://www.sstl.co.uk/media-hub/latest-news/2021/success-for-sstl%E2%80%99s-small-geo-platform-as-eutelsat-quantum-completes-in-orbit-testing

17) ”European software-defined satellite starts service,” ESA Applications, 10 November 2021, URL: https://www.esa.int/Applications/
Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/European_software-defined_satellite_starts_service

 


The information compiled and edited in this article was provided by Herbert J. Kramer from his documentation of: ”Observation of the Earth and Its Environment: Survey of Missions and Sensors” (Springer Verlag) as well as many other sources after the publication of the 4th edition in 2002. - Comments and corrections to this article are always welcome for further updates (eoportal@symbios.space).

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