Remember when. Here is an old photo of history in the making as Snecma signs contract with Thales Alenia Space to supply plasma thrusters for Alphabus platform with Thales on June 19, 2007, and now it's in space.

The Alphasat satellite’s first application of the new Alphabus platform, was launched on July 25. The orbital positioning phase has now been completed, validating the electric propulsion system developed by Thales Alenia Space, which will provide satellite station-keeping throughout its expected 15 year service life.

Thales Alenia Space's plasma propulsion system (PPS) comprises two Thruster Orientation Mechanisms (TOM), designed and built by Thales Alenia Space France, two Power Processing Units (PPU), designed and built by Thales Alenia Space Belgium, linked to four PPS-1350 plasma thrusters built by Snecma (Safran). The system's design actually started with the Stentor experimental satellite program; it was qualified on the Astra-1K satellite, then further improved for the Alphabus program.

  In-orbit tests on the Alphasat satellite validated the system's functions and performance, along with its interfaces with the satellite, especially with the Avionics 4000 suite, used on all geostationary platforms developed by Thales Alenia Space.

  This in-orbit validation marks a major step forward and clearly reflects Thales Alenia Space's strategy based on the continuous enhancement of the Spacebus family, which uses many of the same technologies as Alphabus. It will also bolster Thales Alenia Space's offering of geostationary telecommunications satellites using electric propulsion.