EL SEGUNDO, Calif., March 16, 2010 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA]
announced today that it will begin marketing the Boeing 702
satellite under two names: the Boeing 702HP for the high-power
version, and the Boeing 702MP for the medium-power version.
"In 2009, we announced a medium-power variation of the very
successful Boeing 702 high-power satellite -- a variation that was
the result of more than four years of research and development,"
said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of Boeing
Space and Intelligence Systems. "This modified design -- originally
called the Boeing 702B and now called the Boeing 702MP -- drew from
the flight-proven technologies inherent in the Boeing 702 and added
new capabilities that not only enabled us to re-enter the
medium-sized satellite market, but also resulted in a more
affordable and more technically adaptable design. Our approach was
validated when Intelsat became the first customer for this
satellite design with an order for four spacecraft in July
2009.
"Today's name change aims to rebrand the Boeing 702," Cooning
added. "Since we introduced it more than a decade ago, the Boeing
702 has continuously evolved. The renaming reflects the evolution
of the 702 family and its ability to accommodate a wide variety of
customers from the commercial, civil, defense and intelligence
communities."
The 702HP configuration carries a modern lithium-ion power
system and other features designed to operate at power levels of
greater than 12 kilowatts. This higher-power capability is required
for satellite telephone systems and fixed satellite services. The
12-kilowatt-range 702MP is powered by a bipropellant system and can
accommodate a wide range of payloads and hosted payloads for
commercial, civil and government customers with lower power
requirements.
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The 702 systems will continue to accommodate both analog and
digital payloads. Boeing is an industry leader in providing digital
payloads, which give customers greater flexibility by allowing
on-orbit reconfiguration of payloads to respond to changing
business and mission needs.
"Boeing has sold 28 Boeing 702 satellites, and those in service
have accumulated 867,000 hours of service life for both commercial
and military customers," Cooning said. "The Boeing 702 --
high-power and medium-power -- has emerged as a powerhouse of
capability, flexibility and reliability."
Boeing has kept the 702 satellite affordable in part by
emphasizing commonality in electronics, supplier agreements, the
design approach and the production process.
"Our legacy is built on technical excellence and product
diversity," Cooning said. "But today's market demands higher
affordability, broader technical options, and more creative design
approaches. We've devised ways to eliminate some of the higher-cost
items, such as deployable radiators, in order to improve our
ability to compete. We've taken the necessary steps to update and
streamline our satellite factory in order to contain costs and
increase throughput, and we've regained the confidence of our many
customers, both government and commercial. It's a new decade, and
we're ready."
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space &
Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and
security businesses specializing in innovative and
capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and
most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in
St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion
business with 68,000 employees worldwide.
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Contact:
Bob Pickard
Space & Intelligence Systems
Mobile: 310-343-1211
robert.pickard3@boeing.com
Angie Yoshimura
Space & Intelligence Systems
Office: 310-364-6708
Mobile: 310-227-6568
angie.e.yoshimura@boeing.com