Arianespace today announced the signature of a launch services contract with Ovzon for the company’s first geostationary-orbiting telecommunications satellite: Ovzon-3. With offices in Sweden and the United States, Ovzon is dedicated to meeting the demand for increased mobile broadband connectivity in underserved regions.

Ovzon-3 will have a mass at liftoff of approximately 1,500 kg. and will be placed in geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane 5 launch vehicle in 2021 from the Guiana Space Center – Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana (South America).

As an innovative small geostationary satellite, Ovzon-3 will feature multiple high-performance steerable beams to meet challenging communication requirements. In addition, the proprietary on-board processor developed by Ovzon enables such new functionalities as single-hop communications between very small terminals, reduced latency and more efficient use of the bandwidth.

The next generation Ovzon service is based on complete end-to-end proprietary components and patented technology. Ovzon-3 will significantly increase service performance, lead to new types of services, enable the use of even smaller terminals, expand coverage areas and increase the amount of available bandwidth.

As a result, Ovzon is to offer a revolutionary mobile broadband service via satellite that combines high bandwidth satellite communications services with highly mobile terminals.

Ovzon selected Maxar Technologies to build the satellite, using Maxar’s mid-size SSL-500 spacecraft platform.

Following the contract signature, Magnus René, CEO of Ovzon AB said: “Arianespace has won our confidence to serve Ovzon for this first launch. Ovzon 3 is an important first step towards fulfilling our strategy to revolutionize mobile broadband by satellite, offering the highest bandwidth with the smallest terminals. Ovzon 3 is the first of a number of satellites planned for global coverage of our high-end service. We are happy to engage Arianespace and Ariane 5, both synonymous with reliability and excellence for our important first launch.”

Stéphane Israël, Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace, added: “We are pleased and honored that Ovzon has entrusted Arianespace with the launch of its first satellite. The mobile broadband connectivity services to be offered with Ovzon-3 are particularly innovative. Ariane 5 will be at the ready for this mission, once again confirming its role as the champion for launches toward geostationary orbit.”

About Arianespace

Arianespace uses space to make life better on Earth by providing launch services for all types of satellites into all orbits. It has orbited more than 600 satellites since 1980, using its family of three launchers, Ariane, Soyuz and Vega, from launch sites in French Guiana (South America) and Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Arianespace is headquartered in Evry, near Paris, and has a technical facility at the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, plus local offices in Washington, D.C., Tokyo and Singapore.

Arianespace is a subsidiary of ArianeGroup, which holds 74% of its share capital, with the balance held by 15 other shareholders from the European launcher industry.