VA239 - 09/29/2017

Arianespace orbited telecommunications satellites for long-time customers on today’s successful mission – confirming the company’s role as a launch services leader in terms of availability, reliability and performance.

Conducted from the Spaceport’s ELA-3 launch zone in French Guiana, the successful mission delivered an estimated payload lift performance of 10,838 kg. to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) – utilizing the heavy-lift Ariane 5 member of Arianespace’s launcher family, which also includes the medium Soyuz and lightweight Vega.

Designated Flight VA239, the mission carried Intelsat 37e for global operator Intelsat; along with BSAT-4a, which was launched as part of a turnkey contract between Japan’s Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) and U.S.-based satellite manufacturer SSL. Intelsat 37e was deployed first in the flight sequence, separating from Ariane 5 at 29 minutes after liftoff, followed approximately 18 minutes later by BSAT-4a.