Latest Mission updates

Ariane 5 June 26, 2017

Ariane 5 is cleared for its June 28 launch with Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN and GSAT-17

Ariane 5 receives its satellite passengers for Flight VA238

During integration activity leading up to today’s launch readiness review, Ariane 5’s payload fairing containing Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN and the SYLDA dispenser system is positioned and lowered over GSAT-17 – which is installed atop the launcher's core stages.

Arianespace’s fourth heavy-lift Ariane 5 to take flight in 2017 is “go” for its Wednesday evening liftoff from the Spaceport in French Guiana, sustaining the launch services company’s mission cadence this year with its full launcher family – which also includes the medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega.

Approval for the June 28 mission – designated Flight VA238 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system – was granted today after the Launch Readiness Review, which confirmed the “go” status of Ariane 5, its Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN and GSAT-17 satellite payloads, the Spaceport’s infrastructure and the network of downrange tracking stations.

The total payload carried on Flight VA238 is approximately 10,177 kg., with the mission lasting 39 minutes from liftoff to deployment of the two spacecraft passengers.

One launch at the service of three operators

Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN is positioned as the upper passenger on Ariane 5, and will be released first during the flight, followed by GSAT-17’s deployment from the launcher’s lower payload position.

Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN is a two-payload “condosat” produced by Thales Alenia Space for Hellas Sat and Inmarsat. Once in orbit, the Hellas Sat 3 component will deliver direct-to-home and telecom services to maintain and expand Hellas Sat’s business reach; while the Inmarsat S EAN component provides the satellite portion of Inmarsat’s new European Aviation Network.

Built using the Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000C4 platform, Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN has a liftoff mass of 5,780 kg.

GSAT-17 was manufactured by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to expand this national space agency’s current fleet of 17 telecommunications satellites. It will provide continuity of Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) in Normal C and Upper Extended C bands, as well as Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) in S-band and Data Relay and Search & Rescue services in UHF band.

The GSAT-17 spacecraft was built by ISRO/ISAC (the ISRO Satellite Centre), utilizing the Standard I-3K satellite bus. Its liftoff mass is set at 3,477 kg.

  • Larger versions of the photos above are available for downloading in the Gallery.

Launch window for Flight VA238:

Kourou Universal Time (UTC) Washington, D.C. Paris
Between 5:59 p.m. and
7:16 p.m. on June 28
Between 20:59 and
22:16 on June 28
Between 4:59 p.m. and
6:16 p.m. on June 28
Between 10:59 p.m. and
00:16 p.m. on June 28/29

More details are available in the VA238 launch kit:

Ariane Flight VA238
PDF / 3 MB

Inmarsat website: www.inmarsat.com

Hellas Sat website: www.hellas-sat.net/en/Home.html

Indian Space Research Organisation Website: www.isro.gov.in

Thales Alenia Space website: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/space/space

Ariane 5 June 9, 2017

GSAT-17 “opens up” during testing ahead of this Indian satellite’s June 28 launch on Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 mission

Read more
GSAT-17 undergoes ground-based checkout activity