Monday 6th September
SES
and ILS extend multi-launch agreement
International Launch Services (ILS) and SES have announced the extension
to December 31, 2014 of the SES Multi Launch Agreement (MLA) and the addition
of a sixth firm ILS Proton mission through 2014. The MLA was signed in
June 2007 between ILS and SES Satellite Leasing Limited, SES's satellite
procurement and leasing company in the Isle of Man.
The first SES launch under the MLA was the successful ILS Proton launch
of SES-1 on April 24, 2010. In addition, two of the four SES missions
scheduled in 2011 and 2012 for the launches of the SES-3, SES-4, QuetzSat-1
and SES-5/ASTRA 4B satellites will be part of the MLA. The remaining three
MLA missions will be assigned as needed and in principle cover the 2012
- 2014 time frame. In addition, Proton will provide back-up launch capability
for SES missions in 2011 as part of the increased flexibility and improved
schedule assurances under the Multi Launch Agreement.
The Proton vehicle, built by ILS majority owner Khrunichev State Research
and Production Space Center, is Russia's premier heavy-lift launcher and
has a heritage of 359 flights since the 1960s.
Frank McKenna, President of ILS, stated: "SES had the foresight,
several years ago, to create this innovative agreement to provide launch
diversity and schedule assurance for the majority of their launch needs.
With this agreement, SES has taken a sound business approach, in the form
of a partnership, to create flexible arrangements to deploy their fleet.
This expansion of the MLA further underscores the confidence that SES
has in ILS Proton. With these new missions, the ILS and Khrunichev team
look forward to delivering the same quality and reliability that SES has
counted on for 15 years."
Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES, concurred, "łThe Multi Launch
Agreement has allowed us to support the continuous development and replacement
of our global satellite fleet, giving us an additional competitive edge.
With ILS, we have a long history together and we look forward to continue
the collaborating with the ILS and Khrunichev teams on Proton in the framework
of the extended agreement."
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Grass Valley transmission and headend divisions renamed
under Thomson brand
As part of the process of the Grass Valley divestiture, Technicolor is separating
its transmission and headend divisions from Grass Valley. These two business
units will now operate as stand-alone entities under the Thomson brand and
are being renamed Thomson Broadcast and Thomson Video Networks. Since the
earliest years of broadcasting, the Thomson name has been synonymous with
expertise and innovation at the highest level and a trusted partner to the
world's leading broadcasters.
Thomson Broadcast provides advanced services, technologies, and product
families for terrestrial television, radio, and scientific transmission
applications, including a comprehensive range of antennas, transmitters,
and Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) radio systems, with industry-leading innovation
in developments such as the Thomson GreenPower series of energy-efficient
transmitters. Drawing on extensive experience in analog broadcasting and
close relationships with leading broadcasters around the world, Thomson
Broadcast is once again at the forefront of technological innovation, with
a range of efficient, flexible, and future-proof digital solid-state and
tube-based transmitters for HD, 3D, and mobile TV transmission. Nicolas
Dallery has been appointed to head Thomson Broadcast.
Thomson Video Networks provides a unique portfolio of innovative video compression
and content processing solutions at the digital headend, with exceptional
professional services for network operators and broadcasters. Offering solutions
for a rapidly evolving 21st century media industry, Thomson Video Networks
develops state-of-the-art hybrid and multiformat compression systems for
DTH, terrestrial and mobile TV, IPTV, as well as Web TV networks based around
the key ViBE product family. The company also provides exemplary strategies
for migration to IP-based video transport, breakthrough video server technologies,
and comprehensive redundancy and monitoring systems. Every day, Thomson
Video Networks delivers crystal clear video to millions of homes worldwide.
Christophe Delahousse will continue to head Thomson Video Networks.
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