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Ariane 5 September 11, 2014

Arianespace successfully launches MEASAT-3b and OPTUS 10 satellites

Arianespace has successfully launched two telecommunications satellites, MEASAT-3b for the Malaysian operator MEASAT, and OPTUS 10 for the Australian operator OPTUS. The launch was performed by an Ariane 5 rocket on September 11 at 07:05 pm (local time) from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. With this new successfull launch, Arianespace clearly sets the standard in launch services for all manufacturers and operators in the Asia-Pacific market.

A launch that reflects the confidence of major players in the Asia-Pacific

The MEASAT-3b satellite is the third satellite orbited by Arianespace for the operator MEASAT Global. It will offer telecommunications and direct TV broadcast services for Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Australia.

The OPTUS 10 satellite, which will provide direct TV broadcast, Internet, telephony and data transmission services for Australia, New Zealand and the Antarctic region, is the sixth satellite orbited by Arianespace for the Australian operator. Except for one satellite, Arianespace has launched the entire active OPTUS fleet.

Arianespace, a major player in the Asia-Pacific

Since being founded in 1980, Arianespace has boosted into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) two-thirds of the commercial geostationary satellites launched for the Asia-Pacific region. That represents 80 contracts already signed, including ten more satellites to be launched for Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.

Shortly after the announcement that the satellites had been injected into orbit, Arianespace Chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël said: “Arianespace is very proud to have orbited two new satellites for operators in the Asia-Pacific, a region where we have always been very successful as shown by our market share, which now exceeds 60%. We are also very pleased because this launch not only marks the 61st success in a row for Ariane 5, but also the 100th consecutive successful launch of a geostationary satellite in less than 12 years.

“I would like to thank our two customers, MEASAT and OPTUS, for continuing to entrust us with their satellites. I would also like to thank the French export credit agency, COFACE, which played a key role in financing the MEASAT-3b satellite, to the benefit of our customer, MEASAT, as well as the space industry in France and more largely in Europe.

Finally, thanks to all the partners of this new success: Airbus Defence and Space, prime contractor of Ariane 5, the industrials working at the French Guiana Space Center, CNES-CSG, and of course the entire Arianespace team.”

MEASAT-3b

Built by Airbus Defence and Space using a Eurostar 3000 L platform, MEASAT-3b weighed 5,897 kg at launch.
It is fitted with 48 Ku-band, 4 X-band and 1 S-band transponders, and will be positioned at 91.5° East, providing telecommunications and direct TV broadcast services to Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Australia. It has a design life of 15 years.
MEASAT-3b is the 110th payload built by Airbus Defence and Space (or its predecessors) to be launched by Arianespace.

OPTUS 10

OPTUS 10 was built by Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto, California, using an LS 1300 platform. It weighed 3,270 kg. at launch.
Fitted with 24 Ku-band transponders, it will be positioned at 164° East, and offers a design life of 15 years. It will provide direct TV broadcast, Internet, telephony and data transmission services for Australia, New Zealand and the Antarctic region.
OPTUS 10 is the 44th satellite built by Space Systems/Loral to be launched by Arianespace.

MEASAT-3b / OPTUS 10 mission at a glance

The Ariane 5 ECA launcher lifted off from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, on Thursday, September 11, 2014 at :

  • 7:05 pm (local time in French Guiana)
  • 6:05 pm (in Washington, DC)
  • 10:05 (UTC)
  • 00:05 am (in Paris, September 12, 2014)

On the 219th Ariane mission, the Ariane 5 ECA launcher carried a total payload of 10,088 kg, including 9,167 kg for the two satellites, injected into their targeted orbits.

Succès du lancement VA 218 : Arianespace a lancé avec succès MEASAT-3b et OPTUS 10
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