spacetoday.net: Boeing lands large satellite contract

Posted: Thu, Jan 12, 2006, 6:22 AM ET (1122 GMT)
Boeing Geo-Mobile MSV spacecraft (Boeing)

Boeing's satellite division has won its biggest satellite contract in nine years, signing a deal to build three mobile communications satellites. Boeing said it will build three "Geo-Mobile" satellites, based on the Boeing 702 model, for Mobile Satellite Ventures. The MSV-1 and MSV-2 satellites will be used by MSV to provide satellite phone services to North America and the Caribbean; the third satellite, MSV-SA, will offer similar services for South America. The satellites will be augmented by a network of terrestrial repeaters. MSV officials said the satellite contract was worth between $500 million and $1 billion, depending on what contract options were exercised. Boeing said the deal was the biggest the company won since 1997, when it sold two similar satellites to "an international customer", believed to be Thuraya. Boeing has had difficulty in recent years competing for commercial communications satellite contracts, due to problems with its satellites as well as increased competition.