On 15 September 2015, ESA and Thales Alenia Space signed a contract for the full development and qualification of a new line of satellite platforms called Spacebus Neo, marking the start of Phase–C/D of the Neosat programme.
The contract was signed by Magali Vassiere, ESA’s Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications, and Bertrand Maureau, Vice-President Telecommunications Business Line at Thales Alenia Space.
Neosat is element 14 of ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems programme, ARTES.