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Ariane 5 June 1, 2016

Arianespace’s third Ariane 5 mission in 2016 will orbit satellites for the Americas and Asia-Pacific

On its fifth launch of the year, which will be the third mission in 2016 utilizing an Ariane 5 launcher from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in French Guiana, Arianespace will orbit two satellites: EchoStar XVIII for the operator DISH Network L.L.C.; and BRIsat for PT.Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk.

This mission – the 230th overall by an Ariane launcher – will mark a new all-time Arianespace record for a total payload weight orbited: 10,731 kg., including a net weight of 9,840 kg. for the two satellites. The launch, designated Flight VA230, is to be the very first time that Arianespace orbits two satellites built by SSL (Space Systems Loral) on the same launcher, as well as Arianespace’s initial launch of a spacecraft entirely dedicated to use by a bank.

EchoStar XVIII and BRIsat will be the 533rd and 534th satellites launched by Arianespace.

The launch will take place from Ariane launch complex No. 3 (ELA 3) in Kourou, French Guiana (South America).

6-1-2016-pr-cap

The Launch Readiness Review (LRR) will take place on Monday, June 6, 2016 in Kourou, to authorize the start of operations for the final countdown.

EchoStar XVIII will be the fourth satellite orbited by Arianespace for the operator DISH Network L.L.C. (NASDAQ:DISH). Arianespace and DISH Network L.L.C. are continuing a very fruitful collaboration that dates back to the launch of EchoStar II in 1996.

The EchoStar XVIII spacecraft, a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) with a high-power multi-spot beam in the Ku-band, will augment DISH’s existing fleet, assuring the highest level of ongoing service to DISH customers.

BRIsat is the first satellite to be operated by Bank Rakyat Indonesia, which selected Arianespace as its launch services provider. This Indonesian bank is the world’s first to acquire a satellite, with BRIsat being the initial communications satellite dedicated to a financial institution. It will provide both C-band and Ku-band coverage of Indonesia, Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. Positioned at 150.5 degrees East longitude, the satellite will enable BRI to provide enhanced secure banking communications for more than 10,600 operational branches, 236,939 electronic channel outlets, and almost 53 million customers across the Indonesian archipelago.

When orbited, BRIsat and EchoStar XVIII will become the 54th and 55th geostationary satellites launched by Arianespace that are based on platforms built by SSL of Palo Alto, California, and its predecessors. 

For further information, download the launch kit by clicking here:
https://www.arianespace.com/press-kits/

To watch a live, high-speed online transmission of the launch (including commentary from the launch site in French and English), go to arianespace.com on June 8, 2016, starting 15 minutes before liftoff.

You can also follow the launch live on your iPhone or iPad (the Arianespace HD app is free).

About Arianespace 

To use space for a better life on earth, Arianespace guarantees access to space transportation services and solutions for any type of satellite, commercial as well as institutional, into any orbit.

Since 1980, Arianespace has performed missions placing more than 500 satellites into orbit with its three launchers: Ariane, Soyuz and Vega. Arianespace is headquartered in Evry, France near Paris, and has a facility at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, plus local offices in Washington, D.C., Tokyo and Singapore.

LANCEMENT VA230 : UN LANCEMENT AU SERVICE DU CONTI-NENT AMERICAIN ET DE L’ASIE-PACIFIQUE POUR LA 3e ARIANE 5 DE L’ANNEE
PDF / 437 KB

 

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