Arianespace is claiming an "absolute record" for launch operations during 1996, despite the loss of the first of the European Space Agency's (ESA) new Ariane 5 heavy launchers on a mid-year maiden flight.
The Ariane 4 operation involved an unbroken string of ten successful launches, placing 15 satellites into orbit. Arianespace was also awarded 19 of the 32 launch contracts signed worldwide. It was, says outgoing Arianespace president Charles Bigot, an "excellent" year for the Ariane 4.
Arianespace's launch backlog now stands at 42 satellites, worth around $3.4 billion.
A further order for ten Ariane 4s will be placed during 1997, says Bigot, to cover the 1999-2000 period, in addition to the existing order for 25 launchers placed before the loss of the first Ariane 5. "This is a measure of the importance we attach to the market," he adds.
Arianespace still claims to be the world's leading supplier of launch services, with 60% of the commercial launch market in 1996. The drive now is to adapt to the growth of the market, says Arianespace executive vice-president Francis Avanzi. He reveals that around 15% of the orders held by the Paris-based organisation are for European military and scientific satellites, and that this is set to increase. "We would like to make that 25%," he says.
The second ESA Ariane 5 launch is now set for July, with the third due at the end of the year. Bigot reveals that this, the final qualification launch, may be offered to a commercial customer. "We haven't decided yet," he adds. Arianespace is also considering offering its Kourou, French Guiana, launch centre to outside involvement. This would go in tandem with its stated desire to increase international co-operation beyond that seen in the Starsem deal signed with Russia in 1996.
Ariane 5 development, says Bigot, is now aimed at satisfying the "increasingly diversified" market demand, which calls for ever-larger satellites to be placed in orbit, covering a range of different orbital conditions. The launcher, initially capable of lofting 6t payloads into geostationary orbit, will be upgraded to a 6.3t capability by 1998, increasing to 7t by 2000 and 7.4t by 2003.
Production costs are also under attack, Arianespace having agreed with its industrial partners during 1996 on a plan to halve costs by 2002. "More than 500 actions will be taken to achieve that," says Avanzi. He praises the efforts made during the year, which saw production of several components achieving record levels.
Avanzi adds that 1996 saw heavy economic pressures because of late satellite-deliveries in October and December "-which limited total sales to around Fr6.3 billion [$1.2 billion]", in addition to the acceleration of Ariane 4 production to cover the delay to the Ariane 5 and the continued unfavourable dollar-exchange rate. Costs associated with the loss of the Ariane 5 are put unofficially at Fr1 billion.
Source: Flight International
