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Feature story

Arianespace: The no. 1 commercial launch company is also the leader in launch service solutions

January 4, 2005

Arianespace is committed to remaining the commercial space launch services leader with its focus on finding solutions that meet the ever-evolving needs of a highly competitive marketplace.

This was one of the main themes expressed by CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall during remarks to international reporters at the company's annual New Year's press conference today in Paris.

In announcing contracts for five additional payloads booked by Arianespace at the close of last year, Le Gall said the company enters 2005 in a strong position, which is supported by a solid backlog of satellites to be orbited, a family of competitive launch vehicles, and a reinforced financial position.

CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall answers questions from radio reporters at the conclusion of the New Year's press conference.

"The market has changed, and we have adapted," Le Gall told reporters. "When customers sign a launch services contract today, they want to work with a company that is flexible enough to meet situations that may change or evolve. We have understood this, which is why we effectively re-invented Arianespace."

Arianespace's response to an increasingly challenging marketplace includes the development of a highly competitive launcher family composed of the Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega - all to be operated from the Spaceport in French Guiana.

The company also has been an innovator through its role in creating the Launch Services Alliance, which provides mission assurance through payload capacity available on the Ariane 5, Boeing Launch Services' Sea Launch vehicle and the H-IIA from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Le Gall added that as Arianespace marks its 25th anniversary this year, the company will continue distinguishing itself by developing solutions to meet the market's requirements.

"We sell more than a launch - we sell a service that ensures solutions for our customers," he said. "The results show in the confidence expressed by Arianespace's clients - which is why we have the largest backlog in our industry."

The five payloads booked late last year - and announced today at the Paris press conference - brings to 12 the total of additional spacecraft signed during 2004 for future Arianespace launches.

As a result, Arianespace's backlog now stands at 40 satellites to be orbited. Of this total, 35 are Ariane 5 missions to be performed from the Spaceport - of which nine are with the ATV resupply spacecraft for the International Space Station. Of the remaining Arianespace backlog payloads, three are assigned to Soyuz missions performed from the Spaceport, with the other two to be carried on Soyuz flights from Baikonur Cosmodrome. In addition, Arianespace affiliate company Starsem has a backlog of five other satellites to be launched on commercial Soyuz vehicles under its responsibility.

The five new payload signings announced by Arianespace today are:

• The British Ministry of Defense's Skynet 5A and Skynet 5B military communications satellites: EADS Astrium placed the launch contract with Arianespace for these two Skynet platforms, which will be orbited from the Spaceport in French Guiana aboard Ariane 5 vehicles in the second half of 2006 and the second half of 2007. Both spacecraft will weigh approximately 4,700 kg. at launch, and are to be placed into geostationary transfer orbit.
  

• Two Pleiades Earth observation satellites, which are to be launched from the Spaceport in 2008 and 2009 by Soyuz and deployed in heliosynchronous orbit: The launch contract for these spacecraft came from the CNES French national space agency - one of the key players in the Pleiades system, which is to perform both civil and military imaging missions. EADS Astrium is prime contractor and platform manufacturer for the satellites, which will weigh about one metric ton each. Alcatel Space is to supply the high-resolution instruments and image telemetry systems.
  

• The Corot astronomical satellite, which will be orbited from Baikonur Cosmodrome in mid-2006 on the maiden flight of the Soyuz 2-1b launch vehicle: Corot will be an extremely capable space observatory, designed to study stars and to search for new planets. Weighing 630 kg. at launch, the satellite will be carried the initial mission of the improved Soyuz version that subsequently is to be operated from the Spaceport in French Guiana. The Corot satellite is based on the Proteus multi-mission platform built by Alcatel Space, and will placed into polar orbit at an altitude of 850 kilometers.

Le Gall said 2005 will be extremely active for Arianespace, beginning with the upcoming Flight 164, using a heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA vehicle launched from the Spaceport. The Ariane 5 for this mission was transferred yesterday to the Final Assembly Building. A full-scale launch countdown rehearsal - with the vehicle moved to the launch zone - is scheduled for January 12. This is to be followed by the Ariane 5's return to the Final Assembly Building, where it will be fitted with the XTAR-EUR telecommunications platform and a multi-element supplemental payload. Liftoff of the mission is planned for February 11.

The upcoming Flight 164 will use an Ariane 5 ECA heavy-lift launcher, which was moved this week to the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building.

In addition to Flight 164, Arianespace plans five other Ariane 5 missions in 2005, using two or three heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA versions, with the remaining launches performed by Ariane 5 Generic vehicles. Also planned in 2005 are three commercial Soyuz launches to be carried out from Baikonur Cosmodrome by Arianespace's Starsem affiliate.

The Ariane 5 Generic demonstrated its maturity during 2004 with three successful Arianespace missions, which carried the Rosetta spacecraft (for a flight to encounter a comet), the Anik F2 satellite (the world's largest telecommunications platform ever launched), and the Helios 2A military reconnaissance satellite (which was launched with six auxiliary payloads).

Soyuz also had a busy year of launch operations in 2004, including November's successful maiden flight of an improved Soyuz 2-1a vehicle - which marked an important milestone in the program to bring this Russian workhorse vehicle into Arianespace's commercial launcher family. The Soyuz 2-1a's maiden launch will be followed by the validation of further improvements in version designated Soyuz 2-1b - which is expected to make its initial flight with the Corot astronomical satellite in 2006.

Both the Soyuz 2-1a and 2-1b versions will become part of Arianespace's expanded commercial launcher family operating from French Guiana - with an inaugural flight planned in 2007 from a new launch pad currently under construction at the Spaceport.

Looking to the New Year, Le Gall said Arianespace enters 2005 in a strong financial position. The company has streamlined its employment to a level of 250 persons, and completed a 60-million euro recapitalization in 2004, marking an important vote of confidence by Arianespace's consolidated lineup of 23 shareholders.

Le Gall said Arianespace's revenue reached approximately 700 million euros in 2004, placing the company in the black for another year.