Space Systems/Loral

Space Systems / Loral ( SSL) is a Canadian / U.S. company that manufactures satellites and space systems. Since 1960 the company has produced more than 230 satellites. SSL is a subsidiary of the Canadian electrical, air and aerospace company MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates ( MDA). The company designs and builds satellites and spacecraft systems for government institutions and civilian customers.

History

The company was founded in 1957 in the San Francisco Bay Area as the Western Development Laboratories (WDL ). It operated as a subsidiary of Philco Corporation. 1960 Philco built the communications satellite Courier 1B for the U.S. Air Force. In 1961, took over the car companies Ford Philco. In 1966, the company was renamed to Philco - Ford. In the same year Philco - Ford initiated the Defence Communication Satellite program and built 27 satellites.

1971 Philco Ford built the first NATO - 1 satellite, which ensured allied a communication link between the NATO headquarters in Brussels, and other subsidiaries of NATO. In 1975, the company was renamed in Aeronatical Ford. The company started in the same year with the cooperation for the construction of CS-1A/Sakkura-A-Satelliten. In 1976 the company in Ford Aerospace was renamed.

Philco - Ford was then renamed to Space Systems / Loral. 1994 Loral built four weather satellites for NASA. In 2000, Loral started with the delivery of the first three Sirius Satellite Radio satellites. In 2005 the company built the Thaicom - 4 communication satellite. In 2006 the company won several tenders for the construction of several satellites. This was the largest order in the history of the company since 1997.

Since 2007, Loral had several contracts to build satellites for years to come. In 2012 the company was taken over by the Canadian aerospace company MacDonald Dettwiler &. Loral was merged with its own subsidiary MDA Space Missions. On 2 November 2012, the U.S. regulatory authority gave its consent to the acquisition.

Products

The company builds military and civilian communications satellites, weather satellites, and digital broadcasting satellites.

Customers

Among the customers include AsiaSat, DirecTV, EchoStar, Globalstar, Hispasat, Hughes Network Systems, ICO Global Communications, Intelsat, Japan MTSAT, JSC Gascom, Telesat Canada, NASA / NOAA ( GOES ), Optus, PanAmSat, QuetzSat, Satmex, SES SA, SES New Skies, Shin Satellite, Sirius Satellite Radio, Spainsat, ViaSat, WildBlue and XM Satellite Radio.