Arianespace returned to space on 25 August after a launch hiatus going back to April, when Ariane V109 44P carried the Matra Marconi Space-built ST-1 communications satellite into geostationary orbit from Kourou, French Guinan. The ST-1 is to be operated by a Taiwan-Singapore consortium. It was the 37th consecutive successful flight of an Ariane 4 model.
The gap in activity was caused by late delivery of satellites. The next launch is on 14 September, with a 44LP model carrying the PAS 7 for PanAmSat. Arianespace has 39 satellites left on its orderbook.
Source: Flight International
