Eutelsat Quantum partners

The partners for the Eutelsat Quantum mission are pictured. From left to right: Stéphane Lascar, ESA Head of the Telecommunications Satellite Programmes Department; Sarah Parker, SSTL Managing Director; Yohann Leroy, Eutelsat Deputy CEO and Chief Technical Officer; and David Phillips, Airbus UK Head of UK Programmes.

Eutelsat Quantum is a pioneering mission that will influence how telecom satellites are procured and manufactured in Europe. 

It is a shift from custom-designed, one-off payloads to a more generic approach, resulting in unprecedented in-orbit reconfigurability in coverage, frequency and power, allowing complete mission rehaul, including orbital position. It is a partnership between ESA and Eutelsat, with Airbus as the prime contractor.

All partners designed this programme in response to today's market requiring satellites to be able to respond to changes in geographical or performance demand either during manufacturing or after launch. This would enable the operator, Eutelsat, to address emerging business opportunities even after having ordered a satellite.