MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC SEALS SOLAR PANEL CONTRACT WITH ALCATEL SPACE
TOKYO, Mar. 4, 2004 – Agreement on a multi-million euro contract for the supply of solar array panels was reached between Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (President and CEO: Tamotsu Nomakuchi) and Alcatel Space (Chairman and CEO: Pascale Sourisse) on February 17th, 2004.
Over the course of the four-year contract, Mitsubishi Electric will supply the solar array panels for Alcatel Space's Spacebus 1.
This contract follows the previous solar array panel supply agreement signed between the two companies in 2000.
The solar array panels will be manufactured at the Sagami factory, Japan, and installed at the Alcatel Space plant in Cannes, France.
Satellites manufactured by Alcatel Space and installed with Mitsubishi Electric panels are already in orbit and functioning excellently.
The signing of the new contract is an indicator of the reliability of Mitsubishi Electric's products and the company's lengthy experience in this area.
“This contract further consolidates our leadership in the solar array panel market," said Masao Kawachi, General Manager of Mitsubishi Electric Space Systems Division. "Our flight-proven and advanced technologies have enabled us to achieve a high level of recognition from Alcatel Space. It makes us extremely proud that they have continued to place their trust in us since the year 2000. We certainly hope to be able to explore ways of expanding our partnership in any other area where both companies can work together in the future."
Mitsubishi Electric has been a pioneer of space technology development in Japan since the 1960s, and is strongly committed to international space development and satellite construction. The company's Space Programs Division has participated in a wide range of high performance payloads and bus components in more than 270 spacecrafts worldwide.
1: Spacebus - the complete family of telecommunication satellites developed by Alcatel Space.
About Mitsubishi Electric
With over 80 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products to both corporate clients and general consumers all over the world, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TSE: 6503) is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment.
The company has operations in 35 countries and recorded consolidated group sales of 3,639 billion yen (US$30.3 billion *) in the year ended March 31, 2003.
For more information visit http://global.mitsubishielectric.com
*At an exchange rate of 120 yen to the US dollar, the rate given by the Tokyo Foreign Exchange Market on March 31, 2003.
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