Latest Mission updates

Ariane 5 May 3, 2017

Ariane 5 is ready for Arianespace’s fourth mission of 2017

The heavy-lift Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s fourth flight of 2017 is now in the launch zone, poised for a dual-payload mission from the Spaceport in French Guiana tomorrow to orbit telecommunications relay platforms for Brazil and South Korea.

Equipped with the SGDC and KOREASAT-7 satellite passengers, the Ariane 5 was transferred today from the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone, where it is scheduled for liftoff on May 4 during a launch window that opens at 5:31 p.m., local time in French Guiana.

Ariane 5 is moved into position in the Spaceport’s ELA-3 launch zone

The Ariane 5 for Arianespace Flight VA236 moves into position at the Spaceport’s ELA-3 launch zone.

Designated Flight VA236 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system, Ariane 5’s total payload lift performance on this mission to geostationary transfer orbit is estimated at 10,289 kg.

SGDC (Geostationary Satellite for Communications and Defense) is the upper passenger, and will be released at 28 minutes after liftoff. Riding in the lower payload position is KOREASAT-7, which is to be deployed 36 minutes into the mission.

Providing relay capacity for South America and Asia 

Both SGDC and KOREASAT-7 were produced in France by Thales Alenia Space using this company’s Spacebus satellite platforms.

Based on the Spacebus 4000C4 configuration, SGDC is the initial satellite to be launched by Arianespace for Telebras S.A., performed within the framework of a contract with SGDC prime contractor VISIONA Tecnologia Espacial S.A.

It will operate from an orbital position of 75 deg. West with Ka- and X-band transponders, providing sovereign and secure means for Brazilian government and defense strategic communications, as well as high-quality Internet services to 100 percent of the Brazilian territory as part of the National Broadband Plan.

KOREASAT-7 was built with a Spacebus 4000B2 platform, and will be the third KOREASAT satellite launched by Arianespace for ktsat – a wholly-owned subsidiary of South Korea’s KT Corp. When located at the 116 deg. East orbital slot, KOREASAT-7 will be used for a full range of video and data applications, including Internet access, direct-to-home broadcasting (DTH), government communications and connectivity for VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) networks.  Its coverage area encompasses Korea, the Philippines, the Indochinese Peninsula, India and Indonesia.

More details are available in the launch kit:

Ariane Flight VA236
PDF / 1 MB

Thales Alenia Space website: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/space/space

Visiona Tecnologia Espacial website: www.visionaespacial.com.br

Telebras website: www.telebras.com.br

ktsat website: www.ktsat.net

Ariane 5 April 25, 2017

Flight VA236 preparations mark the restart of Spaceport launch operations

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