On 20 June Europe’s Ariane-5 rocket blasted into space the two telecommunications satellites of Space Systems Loral (SSL), EchoStar XVIII for television broadcasting and BRIsat to enhance the security of banking transactions.

BRIsat is a geostationary communications satellite built by SSL and based on the LS-1300 platform. It is owned by Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Indonesia’s oldest and biggest bank.

In recent years GMV has provided support for numerous satellites based on this SSL platform (Amazonas 3, Hispasat 1E, NBNCO-1A, NBNCO-1B, Star One C4, Star One D1 and Thor 7). On the strength of this past work GMV was once more chosen in 2015 by the US satellite manufacturer for the development and installation of BRISat’s control center.

GMV’s project tapped into its wealth of past experience in providing centers of this type. In this case GMV has developed and installed BRIsat’s control center, including the real-time telemetry and command processing system based on its inhouse product hifly®, the flight dynamics system based on focusSuite and the ground segment monitoring and control system based on magnet.

The satellite, weighing in at 3500 Kg, will be positioned at 150.5 degrees East, from where it will provide enhanced secure banking communications to over 11,000 branches and more than 50 million BRI customers across the whole Indonesian archipelago.