Saab Ericsson Space delivers separation system and space equipment for new Spanis
Saab Ericsson Space delivers separation system and space equipment for new Spanish satellite Last night communications satellite Hispasat 1C was successfully launched with the American launcher Atlas 2AS from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. Saab Ericsson Space has supplied considerable equipment to both satellite and launcher. Hispasat 1C will, when it has reached its geostationary position over the Atlantic Ocean, provide Europe, the Iberia, North Africa and the Americas with direct-to-home television and satellite communication. The satellite weighs 3 100 kg and has an estimated lifetime of 15 years. Saab Ericsson Space has developed and manufactured Hispasat 1C's data handling and signal processing system and antennas as well as the separation system for the launch vehicle. The task of a separation system is to secure the satellite to the launch vehicle during the launch phase. Once the right altitude and position has been reached separation takes place. During the years Saab Ericsson Space has equipped some 70 satellites with such data and antenna systems. Within the field of separation systems the company is the market leader, with more than 200 successful separations. Saab Ericsson Space is an independent supplier of space equipment. The company develops and manufactures computers, antenna systems, microwave electronics and guidance and separation systems for launch vehicles, satellites and other spacecraft, and is the world leader in several of its product areas. The headquarters is located in Gothenburg, a Technical Division is at Saab in Linköping and there are subsidiaries in Austria and the USA. Of the company's 650 employees, more than half hold Master's or Doctor's degrees in technical fields. Saab Ericsson Space is jointly owned by Saab, 60 percent, and Ericsson, 40 percent. Saab AB is active in the aircraft-, space- and defense industry and supplies advanced products and systems based on sophisticated information technology. The business areas are Military Aerospace, Space, Training Systems, Commercial Aircraft and Combitech. For further information, please contact: Iréne Svensson, Communications Director, Saab Ericsson Space tel.+46 31 735 4463 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/02/04/20000204BIT00230/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/02/04/20000204BIT00230/bit0002.pdf