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SYSTEMS ENGINEERING DIVISION WINS MAJOR CONTRACT WITH THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY
Kanata, Ontario, February 24, 2003: Calian (TSX: CTY) is pleased to announce that its Systems Engineering Division (SED) has been awarded a major contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) following an international competition.
Under the terms of the $33 million contract, SED will provide a 35-metre deep space antenna system in Europe.
ESA operates and maintains a network of ground stations in support of satellite operations. The network is being augmented by adding deep space antenna systems to support such programs as Rosetta, Mars Express, Bepi Columbo and Gaia. Under a previous contract, SED provided the first of these large antenna systems in New Norcia (Western Australia) where it was recently commissioned and declared ready for operations. The contract announced today is for a second antenna system that SED will develop over a 30-month period, installing the system in Spain in mid-2005.
The system will enable X-band transmit and receive and Ka-band receive capability, with the possibility of future upgrade to Ka-band transmission. At 35 metres in diameter and with full-motion capability, the antenna will be one of the largest in the world used for deep space communications. As prime contractor, SED will bring together the skills and equipment from subcontractors and suppliers in many European countries. SED's customer for this project is ESA's European Space Operations Centre based in Darmstadt, Germany.
"We are extremely pleased to have been selected by ESA to provide this second antenna system," said Ray Basler, President and COO of Calian. "I believe this success is a direct result of our performance on the first deep space antenna and our emphasis on working closely with our customers and our subcontractors to successfully implement large custom developments." The majority of SED's annual revenues are derived from work with repeat customers that include major satellite manufacturers, operators and service providers around the world.
The contract was made possible by the Canada-ESA Cooperation Program, managed by the Canadian Space Agency from its headquarters in Saint-Hubert, Quebec. The Program enables Canadian companies to bid for and obtain technology development contracts from ESA, and to participate in major European space projects. Canada is the only non-European country to participate directly in ESA programs.
About Calian:
Calian Technology Ltd. (TSX:CTY) provides systems engineering and staffing and outsourcing services to industry and government in Canada, the United States and around the world. Calian provides customers with ready access to an exceptional team of over 2,300 engineers, telecommunications and technology professionals, and other highly qualified staff. The Staffing and Outsourcing Services Division augments customer workforces with flexible short and long-term placements, recruitment and outsourcing of engineering and other skilled professionals. The Systems Engineering Division plans, designs and implements solutions for many of the world's space agencies and leading satellite communications manufacturers and operators.
For further information, please contact:
Don Epp
Director, Corporate Planning and Communications
Systems Engineering Division
Calian Ltd.
Telephone: (306) 933-1498
Fax: (306) 933-1582
epp@sedsystems.ca
Jacqueline Gauthier
Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: (613) 599-8600 ext. 277
Monique Billette
Senior Media Relations Officer
Canadian Space Agency
Telephone: (450) 926-4370
monique.billette@space.gc.ca
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