Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio win contract for SICRAL 3 secure satellite communications system and associated ground segment

22/06/2021

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

New program will ensure the continuity of Italy's defense satcom services

Rome, June 16, 2021 - Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), and Telespazio, the joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%), have signed a contract with the Italian Ministry of Defense, represented by TELEDIFE / Secretariat General of Defense, for the development of the SICRAL 3 secure satellite communications system, including its ground segment. Covering the development of phases B and C1, the contract is worth a total of approximately 159 million, as result of an articulated and complete negotiation process.

The SICRAL (Italian System for Secure Communications and Alerts) program deploys geostationary satellites for confidential strategic and tactical communications, to support defense missions both in Italy and abroad. The new SICRAL 3 system is designed to meet Italian defense communications and interoperability requirements. It will ensure continuity with the current SHF and UHF-band telecom services provided by the SICRAL 1A, 1B and SICRAL 2 satellites, while expanding its suite of services by providing a Ka-band payload, as well as supporting security, public rescue and civil protection services.

SICRAL 3 will also capitalize on the ongoing developments within the ItalGovSatCom (I-GSC) program, a pillar of the evolving Space Economy and the Programmes of Military Research, and will help expand NATO's current satellite capabilities.

To develop the SICRAL 3 program, Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio, via their Space Alliance, have created a temporary consortium led by Thales Alenia Space, with Telespazio also playing a major role.

Thales Alenia Space will be responsible for the entire SICRAL 3 telecommunications system, the space segment (including system design and integration), and the design, production and integration of the innovative UHF, SHF and Ka-band payloads. The space segment includes two geostationary satellites, SICRAL 3A and SICRAL 3B. The innovative platform, which features electric propulsion, is based on a modular and autonomous orbital transfer design using GNSS/GPS sensors and receivers for satellite positioning and attitude. Leonardo will supply the star sensors that enable SICRAL 3 to maintain the correct attitude in orbit through sophisticated algorithms.

Telespazio will manage the development of the highly innovative ground segment, drawing on synergies with previous SICRAL developments for the Vigna di Valle Control Center and the Fucino Space Center. The company will be in charge of the satellites' launch and early orbit phase (LEOP) and in-orbit tests (IOT).

The SICRAL 3 contract marks a major step forward for Thales Alenia Space and the entire space industry in terms of our ability to propose design solutions and technologies, not only for the Italian government but also for allied nations and international organizations such as NATO, said Massimo Claudio Comparini, Deputy CEO and SEVP Exploration, Observation and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space. This contract reflects the fruitful long-standing collaboration between our company and the Defense Administration. Thanks to the experience gained in conducting national programs such as SICRAL and COSMO-SkyMed, as well as expertise in both ground and space systems, the Italian space industry retains full autonomous capacity in the development and delivery of end-to-end solutions for large-scale integrated systems.

SICRAL missions have represented excellence in the implementation and management of complex space programs for over 20 years, said Luigi Pasquali, Telespazios CEO. The Space Alliance between Leonardo and Thales, through its companies Telespazio and Thales Alenia Space, works closely with the Italian Ministry of Defense to provide modern and effective satellite communications services for our country and NATO. By ensuring the continuity of the SICRAL program and expanding its services, especially through an added Ka band, our defense forces will have the operational capacity needed to further strengthen the country's international role.

Giuseppe Abbamonte, Admiral Chief Inspector of TELEDIFE (IT, Telematics and Advanced Technologies Directorate of the Ministry of Defense) added, Within the past three and a half years, as a Director of TELEDIFE, we have launched major space programs. Today, these efforts have culminated in the signature of the contract for the development of the future military satcom satellite constellation. Todays signature once again proves not only the enormous importance of space for defense, but also the very high level achieved by Italian industry, represented today by two of the most important companies operating in this sector, Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio. Italian industry not only produces systems capable of meeting the complex requirements imposed by national military needs, but is also asserting itself in a highly competitive international context.

Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio have already supplied to the Italian Ministry of Defense two first-generation SICRAL satellites (no longer in operation), and the second-generation SICRAL 2 satellite. Telespazio, having co-financed the SICRAL 1B and SICRAL 2 missions, has consolidated its role as a defense satellite operator. Holding a share of these satellites' transmission capacity, it offers telecommunications services to the armed forces of NATO member countries. The Space Alliance also contributed to the development and launch of the Athena-Fidus satellite for military and dual (civil-military) telecommunications for France and Italy and two Satcom BW satellites for Germany. Thanks to Athena-Fidus and SICRAL 2, Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio form the cornerstone of European collaboration in defense.

1 Phase B is the
LINK: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/space/press-release/thales-al...
See more stories from thales

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

31/03/2026

MeyerPro Delivers LED Production for Microsoft Ignite 2025

MeyerPro delivered the LED production for the Microsoft Ignite 2025 keynote at Chase Center in San Francisco, using more than 2,700 ROE Visual panels across mul...

31/03/2026

MC-IF Expands Membership to Include Smaller Technology Companies to Drive VVC Adoption

The Media Coding Industry Forum (MC-IF) is expanding membership outreach in 2026...

31/03/2026

ViewLift and MyOutdoorTV Launch Conversational AI Search

ViewLift and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) have announced the launch of ViewLift Conversational AI Search on the MyOutdoorTV platform. The feature enables natural language...

31/03/2026

Atlanta Braves and Gray Media to Simulcast 25 Regular Season Games on Over-the-Air Television

The Atlanta Braves and Gray Media have announced a multi-year agreement to simul...

31/03/2026

Gravity Media to Deliver Broadcast Coverage of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival

Gravity Media has delivered broadcast services for TAB Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens on March 21 and will now cover The Star Championships at Royal Ran...

31/03/2026

Mileto Tecnologia Selects Synamedia Go for OTT Expansion

Synamedia has announced that Mileto Tecnologia, a Brazilian pay-TV operator, has selected the Synamedia Go platform for its OTT expansion. Mileto is also deploy...

31/03/2026

NAB 2026: KMH Integration to Present AV Casting Philosophy

KMH Integration will attend NAB Show in Las Vegas with a focus on what the company calls AV Casting - an approach built on the idea that professional AV and bro...

31/03/2026

Prime Video to Air First and Second Rounds of 2026 Masters Tournament

Prime Video will carry live coverage of the first and second rounds of the 2026 Masters Tournament, beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 9 and Friday, A...

31/03/2026

NHL, ESPN, TNT Sports and Sportsnet Launch Joint Marketing Campaign for 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The NHL and its U.S. and Canadian broadcast partners have announced a collaborat...

31/03/2026

Daktronics to Install New Video Display and Show Control System at Wake Forest's Allegacy Stadium

Daktronics has partnered with Wake Forest to manufacture and install a new end z...

31/03/2026

NFL Announces Las Vegas to Host Super Bowl LXIII in 2029

The National Football League has announced that Las Vegas will host Super Bowl LXIII in 2029 at Allegiant Stadium. The announcement was made at the NFL Annual M...

31/03/2026

NFL Partners with TMRW Sports to Launch Professional Flag Football League

The NFL has announced a partnership with TMRW Sports to develop and operate a professional flag football league for women and men. The league will launch with i...

31/03/2026

Zac Brown Band and Blake Shelton Deploy Sennheiser Spectera at Las Vegas Residencies

Sennheiser's Spectera wideband bidirectional wireless system was used by bot...

31/03/2026

Sports Studio Forms Advisory Board for Free Live Sports Platform

Sports Studio Inc., the company behind Free Live Sports, has announced the formation of an Advisory Board with five media and technology executives. Each of o...

31/03/2026

PSSI Deploys Appear X Platform for Mobile Fleet and Teleport Upgrade

PSSI and Appear have announced a new phase in their collaboration, with PSSI deploying Appear's X Platform to upgrade its mobile fleet and PSSI Internationa...

31/03/2026

SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Flowstate AI's Sahiah Shah on Transforming Video Content with Intelligent AI Agents

As sports media organization continue to seek out new ways to streamline their p...

31/03/2026

NWSL Scales Up Production Ops to Match League's Exponential Growth

With two new expansion teams and viewership/attendance on the rise, the league's production/broadcast arm and its partner NEP Connected Solutions are busier...

31/03/2026

Spotify Introduces New Formats, Tools, and Research to Help Brands Become Part of the Fan Experience

Spotify has evolved from a streaming platform to an interactive, multiformat eco...

31/03/2026

Make Noise Music introduce the GTE

Lastest New Universal Synthesizer System module announced Make Noise Music have recently announced the launch of the latest addition to their New Universal ...

31/03/2026

Two notes unveil the Captor X+

True Stereo DynIR Engine, Virtual Load Shaper & more Two notes Audio Engineering's Captor X reactive load box and cabinet simulator has built up a solid...

31/03/2026

Welcome Young Entertainment Professionals Class of 2026

By Kiera Williams Every year, a new group of emerging media and entertainment professionals steps into the HPA community - curious, talented, and ready to grow...

31/03/2026

L3Harris Sets Date for First Quarter 2026 Earnings Release

MELBOURNE, Fla., March 31, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its first quarter 2026 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, A...

31/03/2026

Millions of Miles from Home: How Perseverance Stays Connected

Photo courtesy of NASA. An illustration shows NASA's Perseverance rover operating on the surface of Mars....

31/03/2026

L3Harris and Comtech Introduce First-of-Its-Kind Tactical SATCOM Modem

L3Harris Technologies and Comtech Telecommunications Corp. have collaborated to introduce the next evolution in resilient multi-orbit capability for today's...

31/03/2026

Nielsen data shows NZ retail brands are changing strategies to win over outdoor enthusiasts

Rebel Sport leads ad investment as brands compete for a large, active and qualit...

31/03/2026

Spectrum TV App to Launch on Amazon Fire TV Devices

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

31/03/2026

CueScript to Showcase Innovations at NAB that Add Mobilit...

CueScript, a leading international developer of professional teleprompting solutions, is enhancing its platform with three innovations that elevate flexibility,...

31/03/2026

GALSNGEAR Returns to the 2026 NAB Show with Expanded Meet...

#GALSNGEAR will host a series of meetups, panel discussions, and networking events during the 2026 NAB Show, taking place April 18 22 in Las Vegas. The organi...

31/03/2026

Imagine Introduces AI Assisted Scheduling at 2026 NAB Sho...

At the 2026 NAB Show (April 19-22, Las Vegas Convention Center, Booth #N1328), Imagine Communications is introducing AI assisted scheduling capabilities within ...

31/03/2026

PSSI boosts live sports flexibility and security with the...

High-density upgrade for mobile fleet and PSSI International Teleport gives PSSI more flexibility for premium live event coverage PSSI and Appear today announc...

31/03/2026

Solid State Logic Enhances Virtualized System T Platform to Deliver Scalable Cloud and On-Prem Production for NAB 2026

Solid State Logic Enhances Virtualized System T Platform to Deliver Scalable Clo...

31/03/2026

OWC to Showcase Storage, Workflow Acceleration, and Reliability Solutions for Creatives and Post-Production Professionals at NAB 2026

OWC to Showcase Storage, Workflow Acceleration, and Reliability Solutions for Cr...

31/03/2026

PSSI Taps Appear X for Live Coverage of FIFA World Cup

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

31/03/2026

OpenDrives Shows Off Sports Expertise in Sports Business...

OpenDrives, a leader in software-defined video and rich media storage management solutions, will demonstrate several new innovations at the 2026 NAB Show in Apr...

31/03/2026

SDVI to Showcase Platform Enhancements New Technology Int...

At the 2026 NAB Show, SDVI will demonstrate how its Rally media supply chain management platform continues to give media operations teams the tools they need to...

31/03/2026

Boland Communications Introduces QD4K315HDR10 QD-OLED Ser...

Boland Communications today announced that at the 2026 NAB Show, it will introduce its new QD4K315HDR10, a 31.5-inch QD-OLED monitor delivering exceptional colo...

31/03/2026

NUGEN Audio CEO Dr Paul Tapper to Lead Presentation About...

Dr. Paul Tapper, CEO of NUGEN Audio, will lead an essential industry discussion at the 2026 NAB Show, examining whether dialog intelligibility is poised to beco...

31/03/2026

BCNEXXT at NAB 2026 - Turning Industry Pressure into Oppo...

BCNEXXT will use NAB 2026 to focus on how broadcasters can turn today's operational and market pressures into opportunity. Meeting with customers in the IAB...

31/03/2026

Mediagenix Showcases Semantic Intelligence Powered Title...

Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitably connect the right content to the right audience, will showcase its latest innovations at th...

31/03/2026

DHD Introduces AI-Based Audio Noise Reduction to XD3 IP C...

DHD announces that AI-based audio noise reduction is now available as a powerful new option for its XD3 IP Core. Developed in cooperation with ai-coustics, audi...

31/03/2026

PTZOptics to showcase intelligent video and camera contro...

PTZOptics will showcase its vision for intelligent video and advanced camera automation at NAB Show 2026 (#N1902). Through immersive demonstrations and technolo...

31/03/2026

Experience Commerce Wins Social Media Mandate for ICONIQA...

Experience Commerce, a leading full-service digital marketing agency and part of the Cheil SWA Group, has secured the social media mandate for ICONIQA Hotels & ...

31/03/2026

Fabric to Showcase Cloud-Native Origin Platform and Next-...

Fabric, the entertainment industry's leader in data and operations solutions, will showcase a major expansion of its media technology platform at NAB 2026, ...

31/03/2026

Boland Communications Introduces New QD-OLED Series Monitors

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

31/03/2026

Carr Warns NFL Over Streaming Rights, Consumer Costs

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...