Arianespace, the European commercial satellite-launcher organisation, has been awarded contracts to fly Eutelsat's W3 communications satellite and the Intelsat K-TV, as well as entering talks with Korean Telecom.
The Eutelsat W3, which is being built by Aerospatiale, will be launched in 1999, while the Matra Marconi Space Intelsat K-TV is due for a 1998-9 launch. The two contracts bring the launcher company's order tally up to $3 billion, with 41 craft now on its books.
Arianespace has also been selected by Korea Telecom to negotiate the final $90-100 million contract to launch the Koreasat/Mugunghwa 3, being built by Lockheed Martin, in 1999. The Koreasats 1 and 2 were launched on a McDonnell Douglas Delta 2.
- The launch of the Ariane V95, carrying the Thaicom 3 and B-Sat 1A satellites is due on 16 April, after a delay because of a fault discovered on the Thaicom 3.
Source: Flight International