The four Telecom 2 satellites are the second generation of French national communications satellites operated by France Telecom and the French Ministry of Defence (DGA). Telecom 2A was launched in December 1991, Telecom 2B in April 1992, Telecom 2C in December 1995 and Telecom 2D in August 1996. They carry both a civil payload (10 C-band channels for telephone and TV distribution services over France and the French overseas territories La Réunion, the Antilles, French Guiana and St Pierre-et-Miquelon, and 11 Ku-band channels for direct-to-home TV broadcast and high-rate data and video conferencing services over mainland France and neighbouring countries) and a military Syracuse 2 payload (X-band). The Telecom 2 satellites follow on from the three first-generation Telecom 1 satellites, launched in 1984, 1985 and 1988.
Astrium was joint prime contractor for the Telecom 2 satellites (with Alcatel Space), responsible for the development, manufacture and test of the satellites, all based on the E2000 version of the company’s Eurostar series.
