– This 111th Ariane 5 mission will mark three new milestones for the heavy-lift European launcher: it will carry an overall performance of approximately 11.2 tons, the combined mass of its two payloads will reach 10.263 tons and it will be precisely 1.5 meter taller than usual.

Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, is scheduled on Friday, October 22, 2021, during a launch window from 10:01 p.m. to 00:30 a.m. local time (01:01 a.m. to 03:30 a.m. UTC on Saturday, October 23).

The two satellites, manufactured by Thales Alenia Space, will both serve the needs for connectivity. SES-17 will deliver high-speed inflight and maritime connectivity services as well as connecting underserved companies or communities while SYRACUSE 4A will serve French sovereignty by connecting its armed forces all over the world.

• SES-17: This telecommunications satellite provides excellent coverage over the Americas, the Caribbean and over the Atlantic Ocean and has been designed to transform the aviation connectivity landscape and to accelerate digital inclusion initiatives. It features almost 200 spot beams, the power of which can be dynamically adjusted in step with customers’ changing requirements. It is also the first SES satellite to have a totally digital payload and is powered by an advanced digital transparent processor (DTP), enabling far greater flexibility and efficiency than previously available.The Luxembourg based operator’s telecommunications satellite will be one of the largest ever launched by Arianespace.
• SYRACUSE 4A: This military communications satellite, commissioned by the Armament General Directorate (DGA), will allow to connect the armed forces together when deployed. On the ground, at sea, on the air and even in space, militaries needs secured, militaries need secured and powerful communication means in order to be able to exchange information with the command center. Thanks to its state-of-the-art equipment (anti-jamming antenna and digital transparent processor, SYRACUSE 4A will guarantee a high resistance to extreme jamming methods. At the service of France’s sovereignty, the satellite will also support NATO and European-led operations.

VA255, the 111th Ariane 5 mission, will see the heavy-lift European launcher break three records. With a total performance of approximately 11.2 tons, this will be the heaviest payload ever launched by Ariane 5 ECA, surpassing the previous record reached in 2017 with VA237, by nearly 300 kilos. The cumulative mass of its two payloads will reach 10,263 kilograms (6411 kilograms for SES-17 and 3852 kilograms for SYRACUSE 4A), the heaviest ever launched towards GTO orbit. VA255 will also be the tallest Ariane 5 ever launched with a fairing raised by 1.5 meter compared to standard configuration.

ArianeGroup is the lead contractor for the development and production of Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 launchers. The company coordinates an industrial network of more than 600 companies (including 350 SMEs). ArianeGroup oversees the entire Ariane 5 industrial supply chain, from performance optimization and associated studies, to production and mission-specific data and software. This chain includes equipment and structures, engine manufacturing, integration of the various stages, and launcher integration in French Guiana. ArianeGroup delivers a flight-ready launcher on the launch pad to its subsidiary Arianespace, which operates the flight from lift-off, on behalf of its customers.

Ariane 5 is a program of the European Space Agency (ESA), carried out in cooperation between public institutions and industry. Marketed and operated by Arianespace, the Ariane 5 launches take place from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, with the support of teams from the French space agency CNES.

About Arianespace

Arianespace uses space to make life better on Earth by providing launch services for all types of satellites into all orbits. It has orbited over 1000 satellites since 1980, using its family of three launchers, Ariane, Soyuz and Vega, from launch sites in French Guiana (South America) and from the Russian cosmodromes in Baikonur and Vostochny. Arianespace is headquartered in Evry, near Paris, and has a technical facility at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, plus local offices in Washington, D.C., Tokyo and Singapore. Arianespace is a subsidiary of ArianeGroup, which holds 74% of its share capital, with the balance held by 15 other shareholders from the European launcher industry.

About ArianeGroup

ArianeGroup develops and supplies innovative and competitive solutions for civil and military space launchers, with expertise in all aspects of state-of-the-art propulsion technologies. ArianeGroup is lead contractor for Europe’s Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 launcher families, responsible for both design and the entire production chain, up to and including marketing by its Arianespace subsidiary, as well as for the missiles of the French oceanic deterrent force. ArianeGroup and its subsidiaries enjoy a global reputation as specialists in the field of equipment and propulsion for space applications, while their expertise also benefits other industrial sectors. The group is a joint venture equally owned by Airbus and Safran, and employs approximately 7500 highly qualified staff in France and Germany. Its 2020 revenues amounted to 2.7 billion euros. www.ariane.group