Arianespace has launched its second Ariane booster from Kourou within five days. On 21 November an Ariane 44L carried the most powerful Boeing communications satellite ever built.
The first of Telesat Canada's Anik F series - a Boeing 702 spacecraft bus with solar arrays - will provide 17.5kW of electrical power.
The 4,710kg (10,300lb) Anik F1 and its associated launch hardware was the heaviest payload to be carried by an Ariane 4 model. The Ariane 5 launch on 16 November carried a record 6,313kg, comprising the Boeing 702 PanAmSat 1R and three other payloads.
The 40m (130ft) long, 9m wide Anik F1 is equipped with two five-panel arrays consisting of dual- junction gallium arsenide solar cells and 84 transponders - 36 in C-band and 48 in Ku-band. The satellite features the standard advanced xenon ion propulsion system.
Arianespace plans two more launches this year. On 8 December an Ariane 44P will carry Eurasiasat, while on 20 December, an Ariane 5 will launch Astra 2D and GE-8 communications satellites.
Source: Flight International
