Europe's largest telecom satellite uses technology from Catalan company

Barcelona (ACN).- This Thursday Europe’s largest telecommunications satellite will be launched into space using technology from a Catalan company. Mobile provider Inmarsat and the European Space Agency have collaborated in order to develop the satellite which will allow secure connections to be made between mobile devices. The 6.6 tonne Alphasat I-XL contains a new generation of L-band communication systems which will increase mobile communication capacity in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. MIER Comunicaciones, based in La Garriga (Greater Barcelona), has designed and built 240 low noise amplifiers that are critical for the effective functioning of the satellite. This technology is of a compact design, uses a low consumption of energy and will be capable of receiving signals from mobile terminals up to 36,000km away. The satellite will take of from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 4:53pm local time.

Mier Comunicaiones has continued a tradition of creating high-tech products that has lasted for 60 years and is world renowned for its high frequency electronic equipment used both in space and on Earth. Among its achievements is the handling of over 1,000 radiofrequency teams that have carried out Earth observation programmes as well as the creation of some of the world\u2019s foremost satellites The Catalan company is also currently playing a leading role in the construction of Galileo, the European GPS programme.