Filtronic PLC, a designer and manufacturer of products for aerospace, defense, space, and telecoms infrastructure markets, has announced two significant contract wins with a leading global provider of low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications equipment. The first contract is a production order valued at $9.9 million (£7.8 million) for additional demand of Filtronic's Cerus32 solid state power amplifier (SSPA) module. This marks the third and largest production order for the Cerus32 SSPA, showcasing increased customer confidence in Filtronic technology following initial field deployment. The SSPA modules will be installed in ground station locations to provide full E-band connectivity to the growing number of E-band enabled LEO satellites.
The Cerus32 SSPA, utilizing Filtronic's unique MMIC chip design and proprietary power combining techniques, offers a small form factor amplifier module with scalable output powers ranging from 4W to over 20W at E-band frequencies. The rapid deployment of modules in the field has enabled the customer to maintain a high-level of low latency network performance for a fast-growing subscriber base. The second contract is a development agreement to accelerate the design and prototype delivery of an E-band module that would form part of the satellite payload and provide downlink connectivity to the E-band ground station. This module will represent the first Filtronic product designed for space flight and is a key part of the company's strategy to address the satellite element of the LEO space market.
Richard Gibbs, Chief Executive Officer of Filtronic, expressed his satisfaction with the partnership, stating, "We are very pleased to continue our partnership with the leading global provider of LEO satellite broadband services, and proud of the way we have scaled our operations to supply production volumes of the Cerus32 SSPA module for their ground station network." He also highlighted the customer's decision to fund Filtronic for their second-generation payload solution, emphasizing it as a testament to the company's credibility and expertise in RF design and its ability to bring complex RF products to market for an aggressive launch schedule.