Milestones
Since its creation in 1980 as the world's first commercial space transportation company, Arianespace has led the launch services industry with many operational firsts and numerous record-setting missions.
2009
December

December 18, 2009 December 18, 2009

35 successes in a row

Arianespace marks its 35th consecutive mission success with Ariane 5, lofting the French military reconnaissance satellite Helios 2B into Sun-synchronous polar orbit on the vehicle’s seventh launch of 2009.

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November

November 23, 2009 November 23, 2009

Soyuz arrives in French Guiana

Arianespace marks a historic milestone with the arrival of its first two Soyuz launchers in French Guiana. This venerable medium-lift vehicle will enter service next year from the Spaceport, joining the heavy-lift Ariane 5 and subsequently the lightweight Vega.

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November 7, 2009 November 7, 2009

En route to the Spaceport

Arianespace is one step closer to the next major expansion of its growing commercial launcher family as the first two Soyuz vehicles to be operated from the Spaceport in French Guiana depart Russia for the transatlantic voyage to South America. These vehicles are carried aboard the MN Colibri transport ship, which is to make the 5,119-nautical mile ocean crossing in two weeks.

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October

October 29, 2009 October 29, 2009

Dual-payload success

Arianespace’s sixth mission in 2009 lofts THOR 6 and NSS-12. THOR 6 is orbited for new customer Telenor Satellite Broadcasting AS, while NSS-12 is launched for SES WORLD SKIES – the 32nd spacecraft from the SES group of companies entrusted for an Ariane launch.

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October 1, 2009 October 1, 2009

Record mission pace

Arianespace maintains its record 2009 mission pace with the successful dual satellite launch of Amazonas 2 for Spain’s HISPASAT and the German military’s COMSATBw-1.

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August

August 21, 2009 August 21, 2009

Supporting Asia-Pacific region

Arianespace scores another Ariane 5 mission success with the launch of JCSAT-12 and Optus D3 – two U.S.-built telecommunications satellites to be operated by key Asia-Pacific customers.

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July

July 1, 2009 July 1, 2009

Record-setting payload

The world’s largest commercial satellite ever launched, TerreStar-1, is lofted by Arianespace’s Ariane 5 ECA – marking the heavy-lift vehicle’s 31st consecutive success.

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May

May 14, 2009 May 14, 2009

Herschel and Planck

Arianespace successfully launches the Herschel space telescope and Planck observatory aboard an Ariane 5, furthering the company’s support of deep space exploration. The two European Space Agency spacecraft are placed on Earth escape trajectories for the Sun-Earth system’s second Lagrange point (L2).

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February

February 12, 2009 February 12, 2009

A strong start

Arianespace's year-opening Ariane 5 mission with HOT BIRD™ 10, NSS-9 and two Spirale payloads marks the heavy-lift vehicle's 29th consecutive success.

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February 3, 2009 February 3, 2009

New launch orders

Over a four-day period beginning on February 3, Arianespace announces new launch orders for five payloads from Arabsat, Hispasat of Spain, and Thales Alenia Space with Russian operator Gazprom.

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2008
December

December 20, 2008 December 20, 2008

Ending 2008 on a high note

Arianespace wraps up another year of on-target Ariane 5 launches, orbiting the HOT BIRD™ 9 and W2M satellites for the Eutelsat telecommunications provider.

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December 4, 2008 December 4, 2008

Serving the U.S. market

Arianespace wins its 86th launch contract in the United States, signing a Service & Solutions agreement to orbit the ViaSat-1 satellite for ViaSat Inc.

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October

October 17, 2008 October 17, 2008

SES chooses Ariane

SES commits to three new primary launch services using Ariane under a Multi Launch Agreement (MLA) signed in June 2007. The commitment covers three satellites to be orbited by Ariane 5 between 2009 and 2012.

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August

August 14, 2008 August 14, 2008

Sustained flight rate

Arianespace performs its ninth Ariane 5 mission during a 12-month period, demonstrating the company’s ability to maintain its sustained flight rate with the workhorse heavy-lift vehicle. This flight carried the Superbird-7 and AMC-21 satellite payloads.

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July

July 22, 2008 July 22, 2008

MSG-4 agreement

Arianespace signs a Service & Solutions agreement to orbit the MSG-4 meteorological observation satellite for EUMETSAT. This is the tenth satellite for which the intergovernmental organization has chosen an Ariane launch.

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June

June 12, 2008 June 12, 2008

Ariane 5’s 25th success

Arianespace conducts its 25th consecutive Ariane 5 mission success, orbiting a dual satellite payload of Skynet 5C and Turksat 3A with an Ariane 5 ECA.

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April

April 27, 2008 April 27, 2008

A launch for Europe

Soyuz successfully launches Europe’s second navigation satellite, Giove-B, on a mission managed by Arianespace’s Starsem affiliate from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

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April 11, 2008 April 11, 2008

Arianespace and B-SAT

Arianespace is selected to launch the BSAT-3b satellite for Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT). This is the 25th contract won by Arianespace to orbit a Japanese satellite and the seventh such agreement with B-SAT.

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March

March 9, 2008 March 9, 2008

ATV to ISS

Arianespace performs its first mission in support of the International Space Station, delivering the 19,000-kg. Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) resupply spacecraft with an Ariane 5 ES.

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2007
November

November 14, 2007 November 14, 2007

Heavy-lift milestone

The Ariane 5 ECA launcher sets a new heavy-lift record, orbiting a total payload of more than 8,700 kg. with the Skynet 5B and Star One C1 satellites.

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August

August 14, 2007 August 14, 2007

First launch for Hughes

Arianespace performs its first launch for Hughes Network Systems, orbiting the SPACEWAY 3 satellite on a dual-payload Ariane 5 mission with BSAT-3a.

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June

June 23, 2007 June 23, 2007

Arianespace signs a preliminary order with Astrium for the production of 35 Ariane 5 launchers, which is in addition to the batch of 30 Ariane 5s ordered in 2004.

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June 23, 2007 June 23, 2007

Ariane 5 production batch

New contracts announced at the Paris Air Show bolsters Arianespace's launch services leadership position. The orders included a multi-launch framework agreement with SES, as well as contracts for Arabsat 5 (Arab League), Thor 6 (Norway), Rascom 1 (Africa) and Insat 4G (India).

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April

April 4, 2007 April 4, 2007

Optus D3 is the 285th satellite payload signed by Arianespace. To be lofted by an Ariane or Soyuz launch vehicle in 2009 from Europe's Spaceport, Optus D3 will be the fifth satellite launched by Arianespace for Australian operator Optus.

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April 2, 2007 April 2, 2007

Arianespace announces it will launch two Intelsat payloads: the Horizons-2 spacecraft for Horizons Satellite LLC (a joint venture between Intelsat and JSAT), and Intelsat-11. Both spacecraft are to be carried by an Ariane 5 in the third quarter of 2007.

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March

March 1, 2007 March 1, 2007

SPACEWAY 3 becomes the latest satellite payload signed with Arianespace for an Ariane 5 launch. The Hughes Network Systems spacecraft will be delivered to geostationary transfer orbit during a mission scheduled from Europe's Spaceport in August 2007.

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February

February 21, 2007 February 21, 2007

A press release issued during the Satellite 2007 conference details SES AMERICOM's contract for the launch of its AMC-21 aboard an Ariane 5 in 2008. This is the 26th satellite entrusted to Arianespace by a member of the SES family of companies.

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January

January 8, 2007 January 8, 2007

Arianespace announces a contract to launch the ProtoStar I direct-to-home satellite for ProtoStar Ltd., which is the 280th launch contract won by Arianespace since its creation in 1980.

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2006
December

December 27, 2006 December 27, 2006

A joint Arianespace/Starsem mission orbits the European COROT astronomy satellite on the inaugural flight of the enhanced Soyuz 2-1b launcher.

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December 8, 2006 December 8, 2006

Arianespace’s final Ariane 5 mission of the year orbits the WildBlue-1 and AMC-18 satellites, bringing total payloads lofted by Ariane 5 in 2006 to 10 primary satellites and one auxiliary passenger – more than all competitors combined.

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November

November 8, 2006 November 8, 2006

Emerging North American mobile communications operator TerreStar Networks chooses Arianespace to launch TerreStar I, which will be the largest commercial communications satellite ever launched into geostationary orbit.

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October

October 19, 2006 October 19, 2006

MetOp-A, Europe’s first polar-orbiting satellite dedicated to operational meteorology, is orbited by the Starsem affiliate of Arianespace using the upgraded Soyuz 2-1a version. The 2-1a configuration features improved navigation accuracy and control capability provided by a digital control system. This flight also used the new ST payload fairing with an external diameter of 4.1 meters and a length of 11.4 meters.

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May

May 27, 2006 May 27, 2006

Ariane 5 delivers a record-setting dual-satellite payload of more than 8,200 kg. to GTO on its successful heavy-lift flight with the Satmex 6 & Thaicom 5 telecommunications satellites.

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February

February 8, 2006 February 8, 2006

Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall is honored as the Satellite Executive of the Year by Via Satellite magazine.

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2005
November

November 17, 2005 November 17, 2005

The heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA boosts a record payload into orbit by lofting the SPACEWAY 2 high-definition direct broadcast satellite for American operator DIRECTV, and the TELKOM 2 communications satellite for Indonesian operator PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk. With a total mass of over 8,000 kg. injected into orbit, the SPACEWAY 2 and TELKOM 2 satellites represent the heaviest dual payload ever launched.

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August

August 14, 2005 August 14, 2005

Arianespace scores back-to-back mission successes in a three-day period as an Ariane 5 orbits the THAICOM 4 (IPSTAR) spacecraft on August 11 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, while a Starsem-operated Soyuz lofts the Galaxy 14 satellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on August 14. THAICOM 4 (IPSTAR) is the largest commercial communications satellite ever placed in geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), and will be operated by Thailand's Shin Satellite Public Company Limited. Galaxy 14 is the second in a series of new-generation satellites ordered by PanAmSat for the delivery of video and TV programming.

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June

June 14, 2005 June 14, 2005

The Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport provides Arianespace an opportunity to mark its 25 years of excellence in the commercial launch services marketplace. During its quarter century of operations, Arianespace has become the world leader in launch solutions, and maintains the industry's no. 1 position.

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February

February 12, 2005 February 12, 2005

The Ariane 5 ECA launcher successfully orbits the XTAR-EUR communications satellite and the Sloshsat scientific payload, validating the heavy-lift launcher's performance and accuracy.

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2004
October

October 6, 2004 October 6, 2004

An international grouping announces plans to launch a cluster of 50 nanosatellites on a single Arianespace mission in 2007 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the launch of the first man-made satellite. The mission will be performed for the International Astronautical Federation, and is to involve the cooperative efforts of Arianespace, the Russian Space Agency (with the support of the Russian space industry) and the IAF in partnership with the leading space agencies from around the world.

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May

May 14, 2004 May 14, 2004

A contract is signed enabling Arianespace to prepare for its role as operator of the Vega launch system, which - along with Ariane and Soyuz - will be part of the range of three launchers to be operated from the Spaceport in French Guiana starting in 2007.

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May 12, 2004 May 12, 2004

Australian telecommunications carrier Optus chooses Arianespace to orbit its D1 and D2 satellites using Ariane and Soyuz launchers from the Spaceport in French Guiana. The contract with Optus marks a major landmark in Arianespace's strategy to offer comprehensive launch services solutions - using both Ariane and Soyuz in French Guiana, as well as the Launch Services Alliance that the company established with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Boeing Launch Services.

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May 10, 2004 May 10, 2004

An industry contract is signed for the manufacture of 30 Ariane 5 launchers, providing a production volume that will enable Arianespace to enhance its performance, ensure launch service continuity and maintain its competitiveness on the international launcher market. The 30-launcher batch will consist primarily of standardized Ariane 5 ECA vehicles, but also will include the Ariane 5 ES version for missions with the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

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May 4, 2004 May 4, 2004

The DIRECTV 7S satellite is launched by Sea Launch - marking the first mission cooperatively transferred from an Ariane to another launch vehicle under terms of the Launch Services Alliance - making mission assurance a reality.

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March

March 2, 2004 March 2, 2004

Arianespace Flight 158 successfully launches the European Space Agency's Rosetta comet-intercept spacecraft on Ariane 5. Rosetta embarked on an Earth escape trajectory following its release from Ariane 5's upper stage and a prolonged ballistic phase. Rosetta will be the first mission ever to land on a comet, which is set to encounter Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014.

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2003
December

December 28, 2003 December 28, 2003

Arianespace/Starsem Flight ST12 successfully deploys Israel's AMOS 2 telecommunications satellite into geostationary orbit. Originally slated for an Ariane 5 launch, the satellite was switched to a Soyuz/Fregat launch vehicle as a result of the flexible Arianespace/Starsem launcher family policy. This marks the first Soyuz commercial mission to geostationary orbit and the 12th mission for Starsem.

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September

September 27, 2003 September 27, 2003

Ariane 5 carries its first triple-spacecraft payload on Flight 162. The mission successfully lofted the Indian Space Research Organisation's INSAT 3E telecommunications/video broadcast satellite, the e-BIRD broadband services platform for Europe’s Eutelsat and the SMART-1 lunar probe for the European Space Agency.

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July

July 1, 2003 July 1, 2003

Arianespace joins with Boeing Launch Services and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to create the Launch Services Alliance, which combines the strengths of the world's leading commercial launch providers Arianespace, to provide customers with flexible, reliable and on-time delivery to orbit.

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February

February 15, 2003 February 15, 2003

The Ariane 4 launcher family ends its career with a trademark highly accurate mission that carried the Intelsat 907 payload. The launch was Ariane 4's 116th flight.

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2002
September

September 16, 2002 September 16, 2002

Launch contract announced for SPAINSAT, the first military communications satellite for Spain. Built by Space Systems/Loral, SPAINSAT will be launched by an Ariane 5 in 2004 and positioned at 30 degrees West, over the Atlantic Ocean.

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August

August 28, 2002 August 28, 2002

Flight 155 orbits telecom and weather satellites on Ariane 5's 13th launch, demonstrating the launcher's capability to pair up all types of satellites on a single mission. The Ariane 5's payload consisted of the Atlantic BirdTM 1 telecommunications satellite built by Alenia Spazio for EUTELSAT, and the MSG-1 weather satellite for the European Meteorological Satellite (EUMETSAT) organization.

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February

February 28, 2002 February 28, 2002

On Flight 145, an Ariane 5 places the European Space Agency's Envisat into a highly accurate Sun-synchronous orbit on a record-setting mission. The 8,000-kg. Envisat was the largest satellite ever built in Europe, the heaviest payload carried by an Ariane, and it used the longest fairing available for Ariane 5.

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2001
June

June 24, 2001 June 24, 2001

Arianespace signs eight new launch contracts at the Paris Air Show, bringing the year's total to 11 for a combined order book value of 600 million euros.

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June 7, 2001 June 7, 2001

With Flight 141, Ariane 4 marks its 62nd successful launch in a row, as Arianespace's no. 1 customer, Intelsat, places into orbit the first new Intelsat IX-series satellites.

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February

February 7, 2001 February 7, 2001

Two primary European military communications payloads are launched together by Ariane for the first time: Flight 139 carries Sicral for the Italian defense ministry, and Skynet 4F for the British Ministry of Defence, using an Ariane 44L.

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2000
November

November 15, 2000 November 15, 2000

On a single mission, Ariane 5 lofts the PAS-1R and three auxiliary payloads on Flight 135, setting a new record by placing 6,313 kg. into orbit.

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October

October 29, 2000 October 29, 2000

Arianespace's Flight 134 launches first satellite for Europe*Star UK Limited, the new telecommunications operator created through a joint venture between Alcatel Spacecom and Loral Space & Communications.

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August

August 17, 2000 August 17, 2000

Arianespace successfully orbits the Egyptian Nilesat 102 and Brazilian Brasilsat B4 satellites; Flight 131 marks the 55th consecutive successful launch of Ariane 4.

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June

June 7, 2000 June 7, 2000

The largest launch services contract in the history of Europe's space industry is signed by the European Space Agency with Arianespace for nine firm Ariane 5 flights to carry the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

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