FINAL REPORT: DEFINITIONAL MISSION TO AZERBAIJAN:
AZERCOSMOS – AZERSPACE-2 FEASIBILITY STUDY
August 07, 2013
Space Partnership International
34
concludes 100% of its procurement from one country.
Some of the main potential U.S. vendors of the export equipment and services are identified below.
Component
Company
U.S. CONTENT
Approximate
Value of
Component
(USD millions)
Description
U.S. HQ
U.S.
Owned
Ability to
Export
Spacecraft
Manufacturer
Boeing Space
Systems
CA
Yes
Yes
125 - 175
Ranges from small, relatively simple satellites
with 24 to 40 C- and/or Ku- band or / Ka- band
transponders and mass of 5,000 lbs. at the low
end, to complex broadband and MSS satellites
with large antennas (up to 22 meters) and total
mass of
L 13,000 lbs. Example
satellite
platforms include the SS Loral 1300, the Boeing
702 HP and the Astrium E3000.
Orbital Sciences
Corporation
VA
Yes
Yes
Lockheed Martin
CO
Yes
Yes
Loral Space and
Communications
CA
No
Yes
Launch Service
Provider
SpaceX
CA
Yes
Yes
65 - 95
Ranges from shared ride on SpaceX Falcon 9 at
low-end, to dedicated launch on Falcon 9, Sea
Launch Zenit, Mitsubishi H2a, ILS Proton, to
the most expensive, a shared launch on an
Ariane 5 ECA. All of these
launch vehicles are
capable of carrying the low-end satellites to
GTO.
United Launch
Alliance
CO
Yes
Yes
International
Launch Services
VA
No
Yes
Sea Launch
CA
No
Yes
Space Insurance
Broker
Willis
NY
No
Yes
19 - 27
Insurance rates are based on the
sum insured,
and typically include the replacement value of
the satellite, launch and insurance. Current
rates are ~8.5% to 10%, depending on the
launch vehicle
and spacecraft, but may
increase in the near term as a result of several
recent launch failures.
Aon Space
IL
No
Yes
Marsh & McLennan
NY
Yes
Yes
Ground Segment
Network
Equipment
Provider
Globecomm Sys.
NJ
Yes
Yes
15 -30
A Ground Network Segment for the first
satellite has the following key components:
Network Operations Centers (primary and
backup) @ $4.1M; TI&C Facilities and
Equipment @ $13M; Satellite
Operations
Center (primary and backup) @ $4.8M;
Satellite Operations Procedures@ $1.0M; and
miscellaneous equipment at $1.1M. If
additional satellite and value-added facilities
and equipment are added, the price could
easily exceed $5OM to $1OOM
Hughes Net. Sys.
MD
Yes
Yes
ViaSat
CA
Yes
Yes
iDirect
VA
Yes
Yes
Winegard
LA
Yes
Yes
Prodelin
NC
Yes
Yes
Comtech EF Data
AZ
Yes
Yes
General Dynamics
VA
Yes
Yes
STM Systems
CA
Yes
Yes
Motorola
AZ
Yes
Yes
Cisco
CA
Yes
Yes
FINAL REPORT: DEFINITIONAL MISSION TO AZERBAIJAN:
AZERCOSMOS – AZERSPACE-2 FEASIBILITY STUDY
August 07, 2013
Space Partnership International
36
3.7. FOREIGN COMPETITION AND MARKET ENTRY ISSUES
The Contractor shall discuss the foreign competition for goods and services likely to be procured for project
implementation by category, including a discussion of U.S. industry competitiveness in each category, taking
into account geographic factors, local industry capabilities, technology and licensing issues, past
procurement tendencies of the Project Sponsor, and how the procurement is likely to be conducted. The
Contractor shall discuss the extent to which market entry issues impede trade and how the project will help
overcome these obstacles.
The U.S. space industry is well-regarded and trusted in Azerbaijan as providing best-in-class
satellite solutions. However, foreign competition in the satellite sector is fierce and often quite
political. We can expect strong international interest in bidding for the Azerspace-2 program—
especially since satellite program opportunities are few and far between, typically numbering at
best 30 new GEO communications satellite orders per year.
The strongest competitors in Azerbaijan seem to be the French satellite and launch services companies,
with very aggressive and involved support from their local Embassy. We understand from Azercosmos
that the French ambassador himself has often reached out to Azercosmos management and MCIT
officials in support of French industry, keeping in mind that Arianespace launched Azerspace-1.
Through our interviews, we understood that the U.S. firm SpaceX was considered to launch Azerspace-
1, but fell short by not having sufficient flight experience to demonstrate high reliability of their launch
capabilities. We believe that since then, and by the time Azerspace-2 will be launched, SpaceX will be a
very strong contender. Similarly, at the time of the Azerspace-1 bid, Boeing did not have a competitive
small satellite program. Since then, it has developed a unique and very capable small- to medium-
capability that is priced competitively. Depending on the final configuration and size of Azerspace-2,
we believe that this could provide Boeing with an interesting edge over its competitors. Likewise
Orbital Sciences, being the incumbent and having Ka-band experience, may already be well positioned
to capitalize on Azerspace-2.
By funding this feasibility study, USTDA will provide a platform for U.S. equipment and service
suppliers to pursue this project with access to better information that can be used to improve U.S.
manufacturers’ and vendors’ bids.
Launch
Services
France
• Arianespace
Russia
• Sea Launch
• Proton
China
• CGW
Japan
• Mitsubishi
USA
• Space-X
Satellite
Manufa
cturing
France
• Thales
• EADS
Japan
• Mitsubishi
USA
• Orbital
• Loral
• Boeing
• Locheed
Ground
Segment
USA
• Globecomm
• Hughes
• iDirect
Insurance
Brokers
USA
• Marsh
• Aon
• WIllis
Insurance
Underwriters
USA
• Assure-Space
• XL Specialty
• Starr Aviation
• Ace
Consultants
France
• Euroconsult
• Satconseil
USA
• Futron
• Avascent
• Booz
• Price
Waterhouse
• Telecomm
Strategies