Saab Ericsson Space Delivers DIRECTV Satellite Antennas

Business Wire, Feb 16, 2006

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Saab Ericsson Space AB in Gothenburg, Sweden, has shipped the first set of wide coverage antennas for the DIRECTV satellites built by Boeing Satellite Systems in El Segundo.

-- The customer has made a final inspection and we are now shipping the first set of antennas after a year of hard work says Goran Forslund, Project Manager at Saab Ericsson Space. Especially at Ka-band frequencies it takes both engineering and workmanship skills to accomplish the tiny structures needed with enough precision, he adds.

In total, deliveries involve seven antennas of five different types per satellite, adding up to a total of 21 antennas to be delivered. The antennas will be used for Telemetry and Telecommand functions at Ka-band frequencies. This first shipment includes antennas for the first satellite to be followed by additional shipments in February.

The antennas will be used in controlling and monitoring three DIRECTV satellites intended for transmission of High-Definition Television over the north-American continent including Hawaii and Alaska. The satellites are based on the Boeing 702 satellite platform and will be the most powerful Ka-band satellites built.

Saab Ericsson Space has 25 years of experience from building wide-coverage antennas. To date more than 300 wide-coverage antennas have been delivered. The very first delivery of a helix Telemetry and Telecommand antenna was for ESA's scientific satellite EXOSAT. Antennas have since then been made for a wide variety of applications using a number of basic designs like helices, waveguides, horns and patch antennas.

Saab Ericsson Space is an international, independent supplier of space equipment. The company's main products are computers, microwave electronics and antennas for spacecraft and adapters and separation systems for launchers. The company has its headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, a division located in Linkoping, Sweden, and subsidiaries in Austria (Austrian Aerospace) and the USA (Saab Ericsson Space Inc). Saab Ericsson Space has approximately 525 employees. The company is jointly owned by Saab and Ericsson.

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