Launches Syracuse 3A and Galaxy 15
The Ariane 5 Generic launcher lifted off from Europe's Spaceport
in French Guiana at the 1932 local time opening of its launch
window and flew the planned trajectory to deploy Syracuse 3A and
Galaxy 15 in geostationary transfer orbit, according to a company
statement.
Arianespace's video broadcast -– carried live on Ariane's
website -– clearly showed the Ariane 5's ascent and climbout,
including the jettison of its two solid propellant boosters at an
altitude of some 69 km.
Thursday's mission underscored Arianespace's flexibility to
accommodate multiple payloads on a single Ariane 5 flight, as well
as its ability to handle spacecraft from both civilian and military
customers.
"Arianespace celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and
tonight's success is exemplary - placing our 225th and 226th
satellites in orbit," Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said in
post-launch comments from the Spaceport.
Ariane Guarantees Sovereignty
Le Gall noted that Syracuse 3A is the latest military satellite
orbited by Arianespace, whose commercial launch services guarantee
sovereignty for European and international space programs. He added
this important reality should be remembered by program
decision-makers when selecting launch services for new systems in
the telecommunications, Earth observation and other sectors.
During Thrusday night's launch, Ariane 5 released Syracuse 3A at
approximately 29 min. into the mission, followed by the Galaxy 15
spacecraft's deployment some 10 minutes later. Syracuse 3A rode in
the upper position on Ariane 5's SYLDA 5 deployment system, while
Galaxy 15 was installed below it.
Syracuse 3A is the initial satellite in France's new
third-generation Syracuse III system for secure military
communications. With a mass at liftoff of 3,725 kg., the satellite
carries a 15-channel payload operating in nine SHF (super high
frequency) channels and six EHF (extremely high frequency)
channels.
Built by France's Alcatel Alenia Space using the company's
Spacebus 4000 B3 satellite platform, Syracuse 3A has a design
lifetime of 12 years, and the platform will operate from an orbital
position of 47 deg. East. The Syracuse 3A spacecraft was ordered
through the French DGA military procurement agency.
The 20th Satellite Orbited By Ariane For PanAmSat
PanAmSat's Galaxy 15 satellite was built by Orbital Sciences
Corporation, and will be placed in an orbital position of 133 deg.
West. Providing coverage over the 50 United States, the satellite's
C-band payload will distribute entertainment and information to
cable television systems, TV broadcast affiliates, direct-to-home
TV operators, Internet service providers, telecommunications
companies and corporations.
Galaxy 15 also has an L-band payload for the relay of Global
Positioning System (GPS) navigation to in-flight aircraft as part
of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's Geostationary
Communications and Control Segment (GCCS) program. The Galaxy 15
spacecraft design is based on Orbital Sciences Corporation's
Orbital Star 2 spacecraft bus, and it had a liftoff mass of
approximately 2,030 kg.
With today's launch Arianespace has orbited a total of 20
payloads for PanAmSat.
The next Ariane 5 mission is scheduled for November 9, using a
heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA version to carry Spaceway 2 for DirecTV of
the U.S. and Telkom 2 for PT Telkom Indonesia.
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