Tim Furniss/LONDON
SPACE SYSTEMS/Loral has awarded ILS International Launch Services a contract for two firm launches (with one option) of communications satellites aboard the new Atlas 2AR booster. The launches have been booked for 1998 and 1999.
This is the first launch contract ILS has won for the 2AR, which will have its maiden flight in 1998, powered by an NPO Energomash/Pratt and Whitney RD-180 first-stage engine.
The 2AR, with a capability to place 3,800kg into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), has a single, throttleable RD-180 engine, replacing the Rocketdyne MA-5A powerplant on the current Atlas 2/2A/2AS fleet. The 2AS has a 3,700kg GTO capability.
The new 2AR booster will also have a stretched first-stage liquid-oxygen tank and interstage adaptor. Its Centaur second stage will be powered by a single P&W RL-10E cryogenic engine, replacing two RL-10s. A potential 2ARS variant, equipped with two Castar solid-rocket boosters, could increase GTO capability to over 4,000kg.
ILS - an Energia, Khrunichev and Lockheed Martin consortium - has also announced that its Proton booster will launch the Telstar 5 satellite in May 1997, bringing to ten the number of launch contracts for the Russian booster. The Atlas 2A/2AS fleet has 11 contracts. The 23 firm bookings for ILS compares with the 44 for Arianespace.
The European launcher organisation, which generated $1.4 billion sales in 1995, has an orderbook valued at $3.6 billion. Its next launch, the V89/44L, carrying the Arabsat 2A and Turksat 1C satellites, is scheduled for 9 July.
Ariane V87 boosts Intelsat 709
Source: Flight International
