Arianespace (outdoor area 30) is celebrating its 25th anniversary with news that it has been contracted by Lockheed Martin to launch the BSAT-3A spacecraft for the Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation of Japan.
BSAT-3 will be the sixth satellite launched by Arianespace for the company and the 22nd payload win out of a maximum of 30 Japanese satellite launches the company has bid for.
Speaking at the show, Arianespace chief executive Jean-Yves Le Gall says: "We are honoured to work once again with Lockheed Martin's satellite division.
BSAT-3 will weigh 1,970kg (4,300lb) at lift-off and has a design life of 13 years. Its payload of eight 130-Watt Ku-band transponders will provide Japanese homes with direct-to-home broadcasts from its geostationary orbit.
Le Gall says that Arianespace is now thinking about the launch vehicle of the future. Le Gall adds that Arianespace is now in a better financial position and will reach a breakeven situation this year. He says that its launch facility in Guiana is now capable of handling up to five satellites at a time and a launch pad can be turned around in just three weeks.
Ahead
Arianespace is also moving ahead with its decision to handle Soyuz and Vega missions from Guiana. The Soyuz pad is currently being built with the first launches of both vehicles scheduled from the equatorial space centre in 2008.
However, he reassured visitors that the recent launch delay of its Ariane 5 ECA launcher was due to a technical problem with one of the two satellites scheduled for launch, and not with the booster itself.
The debut launch of the heavyweight ECA in 2002 ended in disaster when the rocket had to be destroyed after it veered out of contr
BSAT-3 will be the sixth satellite launched by Arianespace for the company and the 22nd payload win out of a maximum of 30 Japanese satellite launches the company has bid for.
Speaking at the show, Arianespace chief executive Jean-Yves Le Gall says: "We are honoured to work once again with Lockheed Martin's satellite division.
BSAT-3 will weigh 1,970kg (4,300lb) at lift-off and has a design life of 13 years. Its payload of eight 130-Watt Ku-band transponders will provide Japanese homes with direct-to-home broadcasts from its geostationary orbit.
Le Gall says that Arianespace is now thinking about the launch vehicle of the future. Le Gall adds that Arianespace is now in a better financial position and will reach a breakeven situation this year. He says that its launch facility in Guiana is now capable of handling up to five satellites at a time and a launch pad can be turned around in just three weeks.
Ahead
Arianespace is also moving ahead with its decision to handle Soyuz and Vega missions from Guiana. The Soyuz pad is currently being built with the first launches of both vehicles scheduled from the equatorial space centre in 2008.
However, he reassured visitors that the recent launch delay of its Ariane 5 ECA launcher was due to a technical problem with one of the two satellites scheduled for launch, and not with the booster itself.
The debut launch of the heavyweight ECA in 2002 ended in disaster when the rocket had to be destroyed after it veered out of contr
Source: Flight Daily News
