Stentor

Stentor [ESA]

The Stentor (Satellite de Télécommunications pour Expérimenter les Nouvelles Technologies en Orbite) technological satellite is a French experimental programme to validate, in flight, advanced technologies which would be integrated in the next generation of telecommunications spacecraft.

This program will bring French competence to the highest level, both for the prime contractors and the equipment manufacturers, and the ultimate is to improve France's competitive position on the export market. It is supported by CNES (French Space Agency), France Telecom (French Telecommunications Operator) and DGA (Ministry of Defence).

Its development is under responsibility of a two co-prime contractors which share the work according to their areas of excellence. Alcatel Space for the Spacebus-3000 platform (structure, thermal control, solar array, harness, deployable radiator, chemical and plasmic propulsion). Alcatel Space is also responsible for the communication payload (active antenna, on-board processor, repeater using intermediate frequency conversion) and TCR (Telemetry, Command and Ranging) Subsystem, and for all Assembly, Integration and Validation activities. Astrium provided Eurostar-3000 avionics (data handling, electrical power conditioning, attitude and orbit control.

The Stentor satellite was lost in a launch failure.