AirTV 1, 2, 3, 4

AirTV 1 [Alcatel]

Alcatel Space has announced in 2000 the signature of a contract with Jersey-based AirTV Holdings Ltd. to build a satellite system for the global live television broadcasting network dedicated to the commercial and private aviation markets. The contract amount was not disclosed. In parallel, the two companies signed a Memorandum of Agreement, which calls for Alcatel Space's operating arm, Spacecom, to become one of the strategic partners of AirTV in the first round of financing to be announced later this year.

For the contract, prime contractor Alcatel Space, has completed the system design and is responsible for the turnkey delivery of the overall space segment, including the following elements:

• four high-power S-band geostationary satellites delivered in orbit, the comprehensive ground control segment for the satellites, including satellite control centers, and telemetry, tracking & command (TT&C) stations,
• several uplink stations to transmit programming to aircraft.

The four satellites would each include four very high power S-band transponders, for which amplification would be realized by several traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTA's) assembled in a parallel configuration, a technique mastered by Alcatel Space for various programs. The satellites, for which the individual launch mass would be approximately 3800 kg, would each supply 8 kW of power for an operational lifetime of 12 years.

AirTV expected its worldwide service to commence in the year 2003, but he program was later cancelled.