Brazil's SGDC: Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite

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 SGDC - Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite.

The SGDC satellite is expected to weigh no more than 6,000 kilograms at launch and to operate at 75 degrees west in a geostationary orbit. 

It will be operated by Brazil’s Telebras national telecommunications company, with the system managed by Visiona Tecnologica Espacial SA, a joint venture created to manage the project.

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer’s Embraer Defense owns 51 percent of the Visiona joint venture, with Telebras holding the remaining 49 percent.

Brazilian authorities have assigned Embraer the task of becoming a major satellite prime contractor capable of handling future satellite projects in part as a result of a large technology-transfer package the Brazilian government has inserted into the SGDC bid request.

A second SGDC satellite is part of Brazil’s national space program, which is coordinated by the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB).

Several of the bidders are using the SGDC program to give Brazilian authorities a glimpse of what future technology-transfer agreements might look like, primarily for optical and radar Earth observation, and satellite-based weather forecasting.

If the contest for the telecommunications satellite is placed into a wider context of generalized cooperation with Brazil, the two European bidders may have an edge, they have the most experience in selling Earth observation satellites to nations demanding sizable technology transfers.

Japan’s Melco has also demonstrated its export prowess in both telecommunications and Earth observation satellites and could offer a viable alternative.

U.S. satellite industry officials have said the U.S. government has become more comfortable with the export of U.S. imaging sensors and satellites, and that government regulations are no longer a showstopper for a U.S. satellite builder.

The Latin America Aero and Defense aerospace show, held April 9-12 in Rio de Janeiro, was an occasion for several bidders to show their presence as Brazilian authorities sift through the SGDC bids.

AEB has said the SGDC satellite is budgeted at 716 million Brazilian reais ($362 million) including its launch, which will be the subject of a separate competition.

Satellite Star One C1

The Brazilian Ministry of Defense already leases X-band capacity on the commercial Star One C1 and C2 satellites operated by Brazil’s private-sector satellite operator.

Star One will cost around 23 million reais annually, according to the ministry.

The five X-band transponders to be placed on the first SGDC satellite will cover all of South America and the surrounding maritime routes.

Brazil’s Ministry of Communications leases seven Ku-band transponders on Star One satellites for about 43 million reais per year.

The ministry will use the Ka-band spot-beam capacity on the SGDC satellite to offer broadband to Brazilian villages that do not have broadband access.