APStar 6 (Spacebus-4000C2) [Alcatel]
AMC 12 (Spacebus-4000C3) [Alcatel]
Ciel 2 (Spacebus-4000C4) [Alcatel]
The Spacebus C-Class satellite busses are an enlarged version of the Spacebus-3000/4000 B-Class versions. The Spacebus 4000 is a medium-class telecommunications satellite (launch mass from 3000 kg for the B3 version to 5900 kg for the C4 version) with a strong successful flight heritage and proposed with a realistic and safe manufacturing schedule. It can easily accommodate a large range of payloads in every band (Ku, C, Ka, X, S, L) to satisfy customer needs.
The Spacebus 4000 expands the Thales Alenia Space portfolio of solutions to meet all the demands of its customers. Spacebus 4000 can support satellites weighing up to six metric tons and delivering 16 kW of power with 120 onboard transponders. At the same time, they need more flexible satellites able to fulfill a variety of missions. To guarantee compatibility with high-power performance, Thales Alenia Space has also developed the new generation Avionics 4000 based on a 100 Volt power bus. Flexible, modular and fully integrated with a central onboard computer, it is a world's first to launch an AOCS (Attitude and Orbit Control System) with a built-in star tracker for use in Geostationary Earth Orbit. The Spacebus 4000 is designed to accommodate the communications services of tomorrow, such as High Definition TV and broadband multimedia.
Key Features
Following failures of Spacebus-3000/4000 C-class models have occured:
Aerospatiale → Alcatel → Thales Alenia | Alenia Spazio → Thales Alenia |