Ahead of the much anticipated scheduled launch of its HYLAS 1 satellite tomorrow, Avanti Communications Group Plc (LON:AVN) this morning reported that its second satellite, HYLAS 2, had successfully completed a Critical Design Review. Broadband satellite operator Avanti, is set to capitalise on demand for broadband services in rural UK communities when it finally gets HYLAS 1 into orbit. Last week, the company confirmed that HYLAS 1 had been fully fuelled and was preparing to be integrated with the Ariane 5 launch vehicle ahead of the launch.
The latest news on HYLAS 2 is a key milestone because it means that manufacturing of the new satellite can continue to proceed at full speed and that the design has been validated. The satellite, being built by Orbital Sciences in Virginia US, uses the Star 2 platform and will deliver high speed, low cost two-way data communications via a payload of 24 fixed beams and one steerable beam in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The satellite will more than triple the capacity offered with Avanti's first Ka-band satellite.
David Williams, the chief executive of Avanti, said: “I am very pleased to report that the most important of milestones has been passed and that we have not lost a single day of schedule in this programme. We therefore continue to have full confidence that the satellite will launch on time in Spring 2012. This is important because we are experiencing very high demand for HYLAS 2 pre-sales, particularly in South Africa and the Middle East. It also demonstrates that our management teams are competent at managing multiple pressures very well.”
In July this year Avanti raised £70m in a share placing ahead of plans to initiate the purchase of its third satellite, HYLAS 3 in order to take advantage of possible new business development opportunities.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11846237
so far so good, I was unaware that the uk government had put 40M into the project,
K
