First flight
The first Spacebus Neo satellite is Eutelsat’s Konnect mission, which was launched on 16 January 2020. It will connect developing communities in Europe and Africa that have not previously had reliable access to broadband services.
Providing 75 Gbps of capacity across a network of 65 spotbeams, the satellite will address direct-to-user consumer and enterprise broadband services using dishes less than a metre across. It will also be used for community networks connected to Wi-Fi hotspots, mobile phone backhauling and rural connectivity.
As the first of its kind, the Konnect satellite has undergone rigorous testing by Thales Alenia Space to qualify the new Spacebus Neo product line for the wide range of missions for which it is intended.
| Konnect: Facts and figures | |
| Launcher | Ariane 5 |
| Launch site | Kourou, French Guiana |
| Orbital position | Geostationary orbit |
| Coverage |
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| Lifetime | 15 years |
| Satellite launch mass | 3.5 tonnes |
| Operator | Eutelsat (FR) |