Ariane 5 delivers a heavy-lift U.S./Japanese payload

[BGonaSTICK]

August 14, 2007

Arianespace's Ariane 5 scored its 19th consecutive mission success today, carrying the dual-satellite payload of SPACEWAYTM 3 and BSAT-3a into accurate geostationary transfer orbit.

Ariane 5's two solid rocket motors and cryogenic main engine light up the night sky during its climb-out from the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone.

Lifting off from the ELA-3 launch zone at Europe's Spaceport, the heavyweight Ariane 5 ECA deployed SPACEWAY 3 first, releasing this 6,075 kg. spacecraft at approximately 27 minutes into the flight. It was followed about seven minutes later by the 1,980-kg. BSAT-3a.

The mission was another on-time Ariane 5 departure, with the vehicle's main Vulcain engine igniting at the 8:44 p.m. opening of tonight's 37-minute launch window in French Guiana.

SPACEWAY 3 was lofted by Arianespace for U.S.-based Hughes Network Systems, LLC, while BSAT-3a was booked by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems as part a turnkey contract with Japan's Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT).

"With this third launch for 2007, Ariane 5 has already orbited a total of six telecommunications satellites since the beginning of the year," Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said after the successful flight. "Meanwhile, Soyuz launched four spacecraft last May for Globalstar. And Arianespace demonstrates more than ever the unmatched performance of its launch Service & Solutions offer."

SPACEWAY 3 is one of the largest telecommunications satellites ever built, and its innovative design includes onboard dynamic multi-beam switching, which will deliver bandwidth-on-demand and direct site-to-site mesh networking.

Source: Arianespace