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Corporate June 18, 2013

Arianespace to launch Göktürk-1 high-resolution observation satellite

Today in Le Bourget Arianespace has announced a launch contract with Telespazio to launch the Göktürk-1 satellite for the Turkish government. Stéphane Israël, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, and Luigi Pasquali, Chief Executive Officer of Telespazio, announced that they have signed today, at the 50th International Paris Air Show, the launch contract for the Göktürk-1 satellite.

This is the ninth contract signed since the beginning of the year by Arianespace and the second commercial contract for Vega on the open market. Telespazio is the prime contractor for the Göktürk-1 high-resolution observation system, while Thales Alenia Space is providing the space segment. Weighing 1100 kg at launch, the Göktürk-1 satellite will be launched by Arianespace’s Vega light launcher into a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 700 km. It will be launched from the Guiana Space Center, French Guiana, in 2015.

The Göktürk-1 system will provide very-high-quality panchromatic and multispectral products for a wide range of applications, including cadastral surveys, management of natural resources, environmental monitoring and homeland surveillance. Arianespace Chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël said: “This is the fourth contract for Vega, after Sentinel 2 and 3, and DZZ-HR for Kazakhstan. We are also delighted to be working once again with Telespazio, with whom we have a long-standing relationship of mutual trust. Today, with the European launcher Vega, we can offer all customers new launch services for this type of mission. ”

Arianespace

Arianespace is the world’s leading satellite launch company, providing innovative services to its customers for more than 30 years since 1980. As of 7 June 2013, 213 Ariane launches, 30 Soyuz launches (four from the Guiana Space Centre and 26 from Baikonur with Starsem) and two Vega launches have been performed. Ariane 5, which is the workhorse of Arianespace, achieved 55 consecutive successes with a 97.5 success rate for Ariane 5 ECA, the version used mainly to launch commercial geostationary satellites. The company has an order book worth 20 Ariane 5, 11 Soyuz and four Vega launches, which is equivalent to three years of business.

Arianespace lancera le satellite d’observation Göktürk-1
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Corporate June 7, 2013

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Arianespace conclude MOU on cooperation in commercial space rocket launches

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