Telespazio, along with other Finmeccanica group companies (Alenia Aeronautica, AgustaWestland, SELEX Galileo and Thales Alenia Space) will be one of the Top Sponsors of the World Air Games 2009, which will be held in Turin, Avigliana and Mondovì 6 - 14 June.

Telespazio has provided high-resolution satellite images of the area the games are to be held, which will give spectators a “virtual” view of the aircraft during the exhibitions and trials.

Following two test editions held in Turkey and Spain, WAG 2009 will be staged using an innovative formula similar to the Olympic concept and will showcase international, top-level air sports.

At the World Air Games it will be possible to watch flying machines 20 countries compete in ten disciplines: aerobatics, aeromodelling, parachuting, gliding, hang gliding and paragliding, microlights, ballooning, helicopters and experimental aircraft; each day the world's best athletes will take to the skies in various competitions and flight demonstrations.

The objective of the event is to raise the profile of air sports and take advantage of the educational and social opportunities offered.

The SICRAL 1B satellite, on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Defense, has been successfully launched today at 10.16 am (CET) by a Zenit-3SL rocket operating the Sea Launch platform, positioned at the equator in the Pacific Ocean.

The SICRAL 1B program is under the joint responsibility of Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio, partners in the Space Alliance for their parent companies Finmeccanica and Thales.

“As the company responsible for the satellite design and construction” – states Luigi Pasquali, President and CEO for Thales Alenia Space Italia – “We are extremely proud to learn of SICRAL 1B’s perfect launch into orbit. This is a programme to which Thales Alenia Space has contributed with architectural, engineering and technological solutions of undisputed strategic and competitive value. SICRAL 1B is well able to meet the ever increasing challenges posed by the changing global scenarios. The Space Alliance can now proceed with programme completion, and the development and realisation of the SICRAL 2 satellite, in collaboration partnership with France., of the SICRAL 2 satellite. Such a cooperation will be an international synergie for military telecommunication systems "

“Telespazio has played a key role in the successful launch and early orbit phase of the SICRAL 1B defence satellite”, – said Giuseppe Veredice, CEO of Telespazio. – “This confirms the long tradition of excellence, professionalism and experience that makes Telespazio one of the world’s leading space operations companies. The satellite testing phase will be carried out over the next few weeks by the Fucino space centre in Abruzzo, which will manage the satellite until operations are transferred to the defence ministry’s Vigna di Valle centre. Having invested directly in the SICRAL 1B programme, Telespazio can now be defined as a satellite operator, since it benefits some of the satellite’s capacity, allowing it to offer communication services to the European defence market and NATO countries”

Engineering and technological solutions will enable SICRAL 1B to meet the ever increasing challenges posed by the changing global scenarios. Once it is in geostationary orbit at about 36,000 km, SICRAL 1B will provide strategic and tactical communications services for the Italian armed forces, in Italy and abroad, as well as ensuring mobile communications with land, naval and air platforms. It will also provide NATO forces with UHF and SHF satcom capabilities, based on agreements by the Italian, French and British ministries of defence and the Atlantic Alliance.

SICRAL 1B is the second satellite in the SICRAL program, following the launch of SICRAL 1 in 2001. It will expand in-orbit communications capacity to meet the evolving military satellite communications requirements of both Italy and NATO. The new satellite has a design life of 13 years.

For the SICRAL 1B programme, Thales Alenia Space, a Thales/Finmeccanica company, designed the system and built the satellite and Telecommunications Control Centre in Vigna di Valle.

Telespazio, a Finmeccanica/Thales company, is responsible for the launch services, positioning (LEOP - Launch and Early Orbit Phase) and the in-orbit testing of SICRAL 1B. It also managed the building of the system’s Ground Segment at the Satellite Control Centre at Vigna di Valle and the Fucino Space Centre.

The SICRAL 1B program is a public-private partnership between the Italian Ministry of Defence and Finmeccanica. Based on this agreement, Telespazio contributed a significant part of the direct costs of the SICRAL 1B program, giving it part of the satellite’s capacity. Telespazio can therefore take on the role of satellite operator in selling capacity and services to NATO and to the European and US defence markets.

Telespazio, together with other Finmeccanica companies, will participate at Latin America Aero & Defence 2009 (LAAD), held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 14 to 17 April. Finmeccanica will demonstrate its activities in the Space field through Telespazio and Thales Alenia Space and will be also represented by AgustaWestland, OTO Melara, SELEX Galileo and SELEX Sistemi Integrati.

At the event, Telespazio, which operates in Brazil via its subsidiary Telespazio Brazil, will be showcasing its operations in the earth observation sector, with a particular focus on COSMO-SkyMed products and services. The company will also be introducing its milsatcom services.

LAAD is Latin America’s largest Aerospace and Defence exhibition. The exhibition brings together Brazilian and international companies that specialise in supplying equipment and services to all threemajor services of the ArmedForces, Special Forces and security services, as well as consultants and government agencies.

The SICRAL 1B satellite is scheduled for launch on April 19, on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Defense. It will be launched at 10.16 am (Europe time) by a Zenit-3SL rocket operating the Sea Launch platform, positioned at the equator in the Pacific Ocean. The SICRAL 1B program is under the joint responsibility of Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio, partners in the Space Alliance for their parent companies Finmeccanica and Thales.

Once it is in geostationary orbit at about 36,000 km, SICRAL 1B will provide strategic and tactical communications services for the Italian armed forces, in Italy and abroad, as well as ensuring mobile communications with land, naval and air platforms. It will also provide NATO forces with UHF and SHF satcom capabilities, based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2004 by the Italian, French and British ministries of defense and the Atlantic Alliance.

SICRAL 1B is the second satellite in the SICRAL program, following the launch of SICRAL 1 in 2001. It will expand in-orbit communications capacity to meet the evolving military satellite communications requirements of both Italy and NATO. The new satellite has a design life of 13 years.

Thales Alenia Space (a Thales/Finmeccanica company) was in charge of developing the system and building the SICRAL 1B satellite as prime contractor. It is also in charge of parts of the ground segment, including the Telecommunications Control Center in Vigna di Valle, Italy.

Telespazio (a Finmeccanica/Thales company) is responsible for the satellite launch services, the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) and testing. It also manages the ground segment (Satellite Control Center in Vigna di Valle and the Space Center in Fucino).

The SICRAL 1B program is a public-private partnership between the Italian Ministry of Defense and Finmeccanica. Based on this agreement, Telespazio contributed a significant part of the direct costs of the SICRAL 1B program, giving it part of the satellite’s capacity. Telespazio can therefore take on the role of satellite operator in selling capacity and services to NATO and to the European and US defense markets.