The launch contract was signed yesterday in Moscow, following the contract signed by Thales Alenia Space and Gazprom for the in-orbit delivery of the satellites Yamal-401 and Yamal-402.

Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall (at right) and Gazprom Space Systems Director General Dmitry Sevastiyanov shake hands following the launch contract signature for Yamal-401 and Yamal-402. At center: Reynald Seznec, President & CEO of Thales Alenia Space.

Thales Alenia Space will build these two satellites using Spacebus 4000C3 platforms. They will be orbited by Ariane 5 ECA launchers in the second half of 2011.

Offering a design life exceeding 15 years, the two satellites will provide fixed communications and television transmission services. Yamal-401 will weigh 4,900 kg at launch, and will be equipped with 36 Ku-band and 17 C-band transponders. It will be positioned at 90 degrees East. Yamal-402, weighing 4,800 kg at launch, will have 46 Ku-band transponders and be positioned at 55 degrees East.

Commenting on this latest contract, Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said: ‘We are particularly honored to have once again earned the trust of Thales Alenia Space, and we are very proud of being able to play a role in the development of the Russian operator Gazprom. Being chosen to launch Yamal-401 and Yamal-402 clearly reflects the quality and excellence of Arianespace’s launch Service & Solutions.”

About Arianespace

Arianespace is the world’s leading launch Service & Solutions company, delivering innovative offer to its customers since 1980. Backed by its 23 shareholders and the European Space Agency, Arianespace proposes an unrivalled launcher family, comprising Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega, and an international workforce renowned for their culture of commitment and excellence. As of 01 January 2009, Arianespace had launched a total of 265 payloads, including more than half of all the commercial satellites now in service worldwide. It has a backlog of more than 20 Ariane 5 and 10 Soyuz launches, equal to 3 years of business.

About Thales Alenia Space

European leader in satellite systems and a major player in orbital infrastructures, Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Finmeccanica (33%). Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio embody the two groups’ “Space Alliance”. Thales Alenia Space sets the global standard in solutions for space telecoms, radar and optical Earth observation, defense and security, navigation and science. The company has a total of 7,200 employees and 11 industrial sites, with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium.