Arianespace Wins 13 Orders in 2008
Jan 7, 2009
By Michael A. Taverna
PARIS - Arianespace says it finished with 13 launch contracts in 2008, including a multilaunch award for one spacecraft plus four options from Intelsat announced on Dec. 30.
The Intelsat order will cover spacecraft from 3 to 6.1 metric tons over the period 2011-2015. It follows a five-satellite deal placed by Intelsat with Sea Launch in November, for the period 2012-12. Like multilaunch agreements with Arianespace and International Launch Services inked by SES in 2007, the two deals are an attempt by major operators to obtain launch security and cost savings.
Arianespace noted that only 18 launch contracts were signed industry-wide last year, versus 25 in 2007, showing the growing effect of the financial crisis. Although large operators have remained unaffected, the crisis has forced several new operators to freeze their projects, the company said. Seven of the 13 orders the launch provider received in 2008 were for small 3-ton spacecraft that can be launched either via Ariane 5 or Soyuz, confirming a trend among satcom operators toward smaller satellites. Only a limited number of orders were in the large 6-ton class, Arianespace noted.
The launch provider finished the year with six Ariane 5 launches - one short of its initial plan - and one Soyuz, but aims to sharply improve on that performance over the next 24 months. Between six and eight Ariane 5 launches are planned in 2009, including the European Space Agency's Herschel-Planck infrared/cosmic background observer and Terrestar-1, another U.S. geostationary mobile satellite service spacecraft. At least as many are anticipated in 2010.
Also set to lift off this year is an inaugural Soyuz mission from a new launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana. In all, eight Soyuz missions are anticipated by the end of 2010 - a faster rate than initially envisioned - either from Kourou or the existing facility in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The first commercial flight of the Vega light launcher also is scheduled for 2010.
The company bought 10 additional Soyuz vehicles in September and is negotiating a follow-on batch of 35 Ariane 5s.
Ariane 5 photo: European Space Agency
