- Latest Ariane 5 flight is the 69th successful launch in a row
- Ariane 5 has boosted two telecommunications satellites into orbit, including ARABSAT-6B (BADR-7), third of five Airbus Defence and Space built telecoms satellite to be launched in 2015
Ariane 5 has been flawlessly launched from Kourou, French Guiana, for the 69thconsecutive time, placing in orbit ARABSAT-6B (BADR-7), a satellite developed by Airbus Defence and Space with Thales Alenia Space for Arabsat, the Arab Satellite Communications Organisation.
“ARABSAT-6B is the third of five telecommunications satellites built by Airbus Defence and Space to be launched in 2015,” said François Auque, Head of Space Systems. “The 69th successful launch in a row also confirms the outstanding capabilities of the European launcher teams and our ability to use our experience to put in place the industrial organisation for future European launchers.”
Following the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), for which Airbus Defence and Space is responsible, ARABSAT-6B renamed BADR-7 will join the fleet of satellites operated by Arabsat at the 26°E location in geostationary orbit, from where it will provide broadcast, broadband and telecommunications services for at least the next 15 years.
Airbus Defence and Space, a 50% shareholder in Airbus SafranLaunchers, is the main industrial partner in the Ariane 5 programme, one of the world’s largest and most ambitious space programmes. The industrial network brings together more than 550 companies in 12 European countries. Drawing on the expertise the company has acquired and the investments it has made over more than 10 years, Ariane 5 has become the most reliable commercial launcher on the global market and has increased its geostationary orbit payload capacity by almost two tonnes. Representing cutting-edge European expertise, the Ariane 5 launcher has been specially designed to inject heavy payloads into orbit.
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