ARIANE 5’S FIRST 2019 LAUNCH IS A SUCCESS

For its first launch of the year, Ariane 5 placed two telecommunications satellites in orbit. Four more Ariane 5 launches are scheduled for 2019.

103rd

LAUNCH OF AN ARIANE 5

78th

CONSECUTIVE NOMINAL IGNITION OF THE VULCAIN® 2 ENGINE

103rd

CONSECUTIVE NOMINAL IGNITION OF THE EAP SOLID PROPELLANT BOOSTERS

143rd

CONSECUTIVE NOMINAL IGNITION OF THE HM7B ENGINE

Ariane 5 placed the Saudi Geostationary Satellite 1/Hellas Sat 4 (HS-4/SGS-1) and GSAT-31 telecommunications satellites into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), lifting off from the European spaceport in Kourou (French Guiana).

 

 

 

 

The performance required of this Ariane 5 launcher was 10,018 kg of which 9,030 kg for the two satellites. In addition, payload release was optimized by placing the satellites in an orbit inclined at 3° in relation to the equator, instead of the usual 6° for Ariane 5.

 

This first mission of 2019 demonstrates once again our ability to adapt the launcher perfectly to meet the specific requirements of each customer. I extend my warmest thanks to the teams at ArianeGroup and Arianespace as well as to the entire industrial chain for this new shared success and the work accomplished, enabling high-precision satellite positioning by optimizing the final orbit. I also once again want to express my gratitude to the European Space Agency and to CNES for their continued support.

ANDRÉ-HUBERT ROUSSEL CEO of ArianeGroup

ArianeGroup is the industrial prime contractor for the development and deployment of Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 launchers. The company coordinates an industrial network of more than 600 companies (including 350 SMEs) in 13 European countries. ArianeGroup oversees the entire industrial supply chain, from performance optimisation and the corresponding studies associated with the Ariane 5 to production, from the supply of mission-specific data and software to the marketing of the launcher through Arianespace. This chain includes equipment and structures, engine manufacturing, integration of the various stages and finally launcher integration in French Guiana.

 

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Ariane 5’s First 2019 Launch is a Success

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Contacts :

 

Astrid EMERIT – T. +33.6.86.65.45.02
astrid.emerit@ariane.group

 

Julien WATELET – T. +33.6 88.06.11.48
julien.watelet@ariane.group