VA225 - 08/20/2015

Arianespace continued its track record of success with the company’s fourth Ariane 5 flight in 2015 and seventh launch overall this year – performing a heavy-lift mission today for Eutelsat and Intelsat, two key customers for the past 30 years.

Departing from the Spaceport in French Guiana, Arianespace’s workhorse vehicle deployed EUTELSAT 8 West B and Intelsat 34 into geostationary transfer orbit, delivering a total payload performance estimated at 9,922 kg. – which included the two satellites and Ariane 5’s dual-payload deployment system.

Arianespace Chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël recognized all of the key players in this latest operational success, including the French CNES space agency, the European Space Agency and the on-site teams at the Spaceport; along with Ariane 5 prime contractor Airbus Safran Launchers and Arianespace’s own teams. He said Arianespace remains on target to best its own record of calendar-year launches, with 12 total flights on tap for 2015.

“My thanks to European industry, which – under the leadership of Airbus Safran Launchers [ASL] – produces such a reliable launcher,” Israël stated. “Today with Ariane 5, and tomorrow with Ariane 6…Arianespace will work hand-in-hand with its no. 1 shareholder, ASL.”