Tim Furniss/LONDON
Arianespace has won its first contract to launch a satellite constellation after clinching a deal with Globalstar. The European launcher firm has also launched the PanAmSat 6B into geostationary transfer orbit using an Ariane 42L model from Kourou on 21 December.
The Globalstar deal involves the deployment of six satellites into low earth orbit aboard an Ariane 4 in September 1999. This will be the company's first constellation launch and adds to theArianespace/Aerospatiale Samara Starsem company's eight launches of three Globalstar satellites each on the Russian Soyuz.
Other Globalstars are being launched on Boeing Delta IIs but the Ukraine's Zenit 2, having lost 12 last September, is unlikely to feature among the contractors after losing further planned launches to Boeing and Arianespace.
Arianespace has also confirmed receipt of a new contract, from Eumetsat, to launch the second Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) spacecraft on an Ariane 5 in 2002, bringing to 40 the number of satellites on its manifest, excluding the six Globalstars.
The first MSG is already on the Ariane commercial manifest, while the launch contract for the MSG 3 is to be confirmed. Arianespace has also won contracts to launch the Thuraya 1 and GE 7 and 8 communications satellites.
The next launch, V116, on an Ariane 44L, is due on 8 February, and will carry the Arabsat 3A and the UK's military communications satellite, Skynet 4E.
Source: Flight International
