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The SICRAL
Programme
SICRAL gives the Italian armed forces
proprietary satellite communications
capacity for strategic and tactical
links in Italy and for out-of-area
operations, with terrestrial, naval
and air platforms assured until
2025 with the progressive launch
of new satellites.
The programme is divided into three
phases. The first took place in
2001 with the launch of the SICRAL
1 satellite, which is still in use
and has a remaining life of around
three years. The second phase began
with the launch of SICRAL 1B, which
will have an expected operational
lifespan of 13 years.
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The third phase, currently at
the planning stage in co-operation
with France, will involve the
construction of SICRAL 2, scheduled
for launch in 2013.
The SICRAL programme, jointly
with France (Syracuse programme)
and the United Kingdom (Skynet
programme), will supply NATO
with all the capacity it requires.
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SICRAL 1B
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The SICRAL 1B satellite, on behalf of
the Italian Ministry of Defense, has been
successfully launched on 20 April 2009
by a Zenit-3SL rocket operating from the
Sea
Launch platform, positioned at the
equator in the Pacific Ocean.
SICRAL 1B is the second satellite of the
SICRAL programme following the launch
of SICRAL 1 (in orbit since 2001), and
is intended to have a period of joint
operation with the first satellite.
The SICRAL 1B programme is a public-private
partnership between the Italian Defence
General Staff and Finmeccanica.
Thanks to this agreement the programme,
which has already led to a major upgrade
of defence infrastructure, is able to
continue. |
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The military satellite
capacity that SICRAL 1B offers in the
three main frequency bands (UHF-SHF and
EHF), covers the growing operational requirements
of the Italian defence agencies, while
part of the capacity is also offered to
NATO and its allies.
Like SICRAL 1, also the SICRAL 1B programme
was built by Telespazio and Thales Alenia
Space
For SICRAL 1B, Telespazio managed the
building of the system's ground segment
at the Satellite Control Centre at Vigna
di Valle and at the Fucino Space Centre,
it is also responsible for the launch
and early orbit phase (LEOP) of the satellite
and the first in-orbit tests (IOT); these
activities where carried out by Telespazio’s
space centre in Fucino. The satellite
is positioned in a geostationary orbit
36,000 km from earth, at 11.8° E.
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The telemetry,
tracking and control (TT&C) operations
are carried out in bands S and EHF.
Once the correct positioning of
the satellite was verified and the
commissioning operations where carried
out, the Fucino Space Centre transfered
the control of the satellite and
the transmission networks to the
military satellite control centre
in Vigna di Valle. The Fucino Space
Centre continues to play a backup
role.
As part of the public-private
partnership between the Italian
Defence General Staff and Finmeccanica,
Telespazio contributed a significant
part of direct costs of the SICRAL
1B programme, thus obtaining some
of the satellite’s capacity. This
means the company can take on the
role of satellite operator in selling
capacity and services to NATO and
to the European and US defence markets.
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Thales
Alenia Space is responsible
for developing the SICRAL programme,
building the first two satellites
and for providing some parts of
the ground segment, including the
telecommunications control centre
in Vigna di Valle. SICRAL 1B, like
SICRAL 1, was designed and integrated,
as regards all its components, at
the facilities of Thales Alenia
Space Italia.
More
info about SICRAL 1B launch
Media corner
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