Brazil looks to the West for SGDC Satellite build

Brazil’s Ministry of Communications leases seven Ku-band transponders on Star One satellites (C1 shown above) and will use SGDC's Ka-band spot-beam capacity to offer broadband to Brazilian villages. 

Credit: ESA/CNES/ Arianespace photo by Optique Video du CSG

Eight satellite builders have grouped themselves into seven separate bids for Brazil’s dual-use X- and Ka-band telecommunications satellite, a $362 million program that Brazilian officials say should result in the creation of a domestic Brazilian satellite builder that ultimately will compete globally with the eight bidders.

But despite the concern that whoever wins, the Brazilian competition will be feeding the mouth that one day will bite it, the temptation to be an early partner in what is billed as a major national space program during its takeoff stage is too great.

The seven bidding teams are expected to be reduced to three finalists late this spring, with a winner selected this summer.

Boeing and Space Systems/Loral of the United States, Astrium Satellites and Thales Alenia Space of Europe and Mitsubishi Electric (Melco) of Japan all submitted separate bids for what Brazil calls its Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite (SGDC).

The two other bids are both led by MDA Corp. of Canada. One is with ISS Reshetnev of Russia and the other with Israel Aerospace Industries.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the bid grouping is the dexterity of Richmond, British Columbia-based MDA, which is teaming with Russian and Israeli partners instead of Palo Alto, Calif.-based Space Systems/Loral, which MDA purchased in 2012.

MDA declined to discuss its bid strategy.