SkyBridge will provide telecom operators and service providers with broadband capacities, enabling them to offer business and residential users access to high-speed, highly interactive multimedia services anywhere in the world via an 80 low earth orbiting satellite constellation.

Litton has been selected by Alcatel under their space segment contract to provide the satellite constellation key attitude control system components, including the inertial reference system and the reaction wheels.

"We are very pleased to have Litton as a Partner in SkyBridge LP. In addition to their participation in the space segment, their expertise in network system engineering will be beneficial to SkyBridge," said Pascale Sourisse, President and CEO of SkyBridge LP.

"The SkyBridge selection represents the first major achievement for Litton's virtual space company, which was formed a year ago to provide focus on multi-divisional business opportunities in the space market," commented Harry Halamandaris, Litton Executive Vice President and COO, Electronics and Information Systems.

The inertial reference system solution being provided by Litton's Guidance & Control Systems division is the Scalable SIRU(TM). This low-cost product family addresses commercial and military customer mission needs over a broad performance range, building on the heritage of Litton's successful hemispherical resonator gyro first introduced in 1996.

This design includes the highest reliability space proven gyro technology available today. Seventeen Litton systems are currently in space flight and have accumulated over 650,000 hours of gyro operation.

Litton's affiliate, TELDIX GmbH, located in Heidelberg, Germany, will provide Reaction Wheels with integrated wheel drive electronics. Reaction Wheels are used in satellites as actuators to control the angular attitude in orbit. For the SkyBridge satellite constellation program, four wheels per satellite provide a redundant control of all three axes.

"Selection of TELDIX continues a long-standing relationship between the two companies including participation as the wheel supplier for Alcatel's successful GEO platform Spacebus 3000 and the LEO platform, Proteus," said Jean Claude Husson, President & CEO of Alcatel Space Industries.

To date, Litton has 352 momentum and reaction wheels on board 162 satellites with more than 1200 equivalent years of flawless operation. Litton Advanced Systems Division in College Park, Maryland is also expected to participate by providing high rate electronics manufacturing support under the program.

Litton TASC, with facilities in Massachusetts and Virginia, will provide SkyBridge with space systems engineering and integration support.

SkyBridge

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Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005
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