W3A Artist Impression

Eutelsat’s W3A satellite embarks four SKYPLEX payloads with one “enhanced” SKYPLEX unit.

Developed by the European Space Agency with Alenia Spazio as prime contractor, SKYPLEX is a payload designed for on board digital multiplexing.
Since 1998 and its launch aboard Hotbird 4, SKYPLEX has been a technological and commercial breakthrough in Satellite Telecommunications.

SKYPLEX allowed Eutelsat a world premiere: satellite on board mutiplexing of television, radio and multimedia services.
The SKYPLEX unit consists of demodulators, decoders and a multiplexer on-board of the satellite.
SKYPLEX is the world's first satellite platform to deliver Internet and TV services, providing much more flexibility and lower operating costs for Internet Service Providers with respect to traditional satellites platforms.
Today there are 12 SKYPLEX units on orbit aboard the following Eutelsat satellites: Hotbird 4 (one unit), Hotbird 5 (3 units), Hotbird 6 (8 units).