Liftoff of Arianespace’s Ariane 5 with ViaSat-2 and EUTELSAT 172B

Arianespace has successfully launched two telecommunications satellites: ViaSat-2 for ViaSat Inc.; and EUTELSAT 172B for the operator Eutelsat – which is the first all-electric satellite to be orbited by an Ariane 5.

The launch took place on Thursday, June 1 at 8:45 pm (local time) from the Guiana Space Center (CSG), Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Today’s launch was the sixth of the year for Arianespace, and the third in 2017 with the Ariane 5 heavy launcher, which recorded its 79th successful mission in a row. The Ariane 5 ECA also set a new performance record into geostationary transfer orbit, carrying a total payload of 10,865 kg. (of which 9,969 kg. was the net liftoff mass for the two satellites).

With this mission – the 289th by its family of launchers – Arianespace is at the service of connectivity on a global scale.