French-Italian group Thales Alenia Space (TAS) said on Tuesday it had won a contract worth about 300 million euros ($400 million) to build a satellite for Brazil's developing space programme.

The order, placed by Visiona -- jointly owned by Brazilian aeroplane maker Embraer and telecom provider Telebras -- is for a geostationary satellite for civil and military use.

Telebras said that with the satellite, "high-speed Internet will be extended to the entire nation and will ensure the sovereignty of its civil and military communications".

Arianespace has been selected to launch the satellite.

The deal also allows for a transfer of technology between TAS and Brazil, making TAS the preferred industrial partner in building up Brazil's space programme.

A spokesman for TAS said that under the agreement, the company will handle telecommunication processes as well as meteorology and earth observation.

At the end of June, TAS chief executive Jean-Loic Galle said that Brazil planned to boost its programme with 12 meteorology and observation satellites and up to three additional telecommunications satellites in the next decade.

At the time, he said local authorities planned to spend $8.0 billion (6.0 billion euros) on the project.

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THALES

FINMECCANICA

EADS - EUROPEAN AERONAUTIC DEFENCE AND SPACE COMPANY

EMBRAER

LORAL SPACE & COMMUNICATIONS

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC