The OLYMPUS satellite programme

The OLYMPUS platform was designed to carry a large commercial payload. However, since OLYMPUS-1 was intended as a demonstration mission to prove a new generation of technology, it contains a mixture of possible payload elements for future programmes. There are four quite distinct payloads, each with its own set of antennas, namely: the Broadcast Payload; the Specialised-Services Payload; the 30/20 GHz Payload; and the Propagation Payload. The author outlines the payloads, recalls recent events and gives the satellite´s present status