Arianespace successfully launched flight V140/Ariane 5 from Kourou on 8 March, carrying Eutelsat's Eurobird and the Japanese Broadcasting Satellite System's B-SAT 2a into an 860km by 36,000km (535 mile by 22,400 mile) geostationary transfer orbit.
Eurobird is an Alcatel Espace-built spacecraft, based on the Spacebus 3000 B2, weighing 3,050kg (6,700lb), operating at 6kW and fitted with 24 Ku-band transponders. The satellite will be stationed at 28.5í in geostationary orbit.
The direct TV broadcast satellite BSAT-2a was built by Orbital Sciences (OSC). Weighing 1,317kg, it will be stationed at 110íE and will provide a service using four Ku-band transponders.
The launch - the sixth successful Ariane 5 commercial firing - was the third Arianespace mission this year and will be followed by an unusual hiatus until June when flight V141, an Ariane 44L launch, will carry Intelsat 901 and BSAT 2b. A further three Ariane 4 and four Ariane 5 vehicles are set to be launched this year.
Meanwhile, Arianespace has received a contract from Eutelsat to launch the eBird communications satellite being built by Boeing. The satellite - the first Eutelsat craft to be built by a non-European contractor - will be launched on an Ariane 5 in 2002.
Source: Flight International