Marked 70th Consecutive Successful Launch For The Booster

Arianespace kicked off its fast-paced 2016 operational schedule Wednesday night with the 70th consecutive launch success using Ariane 5, which orbited a pioneering new-generation satellite for this workhorse vehicle's leading commercial customer.

Lifting off exactly on time from the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone in French Guiana, Ariane 5 released Intelsat 29e - international operator Intelsat's milestone first high-throughput EpicNG-series spacecraft - into geostationary transfer orbit after a flight sequence that lasted approximately 30 minutes. The mission was designated Flight VA228 in Arianespace's numbering system.

Intelsat 29e is the 56th Intelsat satellite to be launched by Arianespace to date - extending a long relationship between the two companies that was further underscored by Arianespace Chairman & CEO Stéphane Israël during his comments from the Spaceport.

"Our companies started their cooperation more than 32 years ago with the launch of Intelsat 507 in 1983," he said, speaking from the Jupiter control room. "Tonight, we are particularly proud to contribute to Intelsat's goal of delivering global high-throughput satellite services with the launch of the first of its new EpicNG series."

The spacecraft will offer enterprise-grade broadband services to fixed and mobile network operators, aero and maritime mobility service providers, along with government customers; and its coverage area is the Americas and over the North Atlantic (for sea and aviation routes).

Israël added that Arianespace's support for Intelsat will continue. "Our roadmap is now clear: Arianespace is ready to deliver Intelsat 33 and Intelsat 36 this year, and next year it will be Intelsat 37," he said.

The mission was unique for more than its pioneering EpicNG payload. First, Intelsat 29e has the distinction of being a single telecommunications satellite on a dedicated Ariane 5 flight - which is in contrast to the typical two-passenger configuration for this launcher on missions to geostationary transfer orbit.

Flight VA228 also was the first Arianespace mission since 2002 to be performed in the month of January - giving the company an excellent start as it targets a record operational year for Ariane 5, with as many as eight launches to be performed in 2016 using the heavy-lift vehicle.

"Be it for telecommunications or other applications such as ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle resupply spacecraft) toward the International Space Station, nobody should dispute that Ariane 5 has already made history in the launch industry," said Arianespace's Israël as he looked to the future successor. "We do not intend to rest on our laurels. 2016 will be the year of the full confirmation of Ariane 6, which will be our success story for the next decade."

Altogether, Arianespace has the objective of performing up to 11 missions in 2016 with its full launcher family of today - consisting of the heavy-lift Ariane 5, medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega.

(Image provided with Arianespace news release)

FMI: www.arianespace.com