Ariane 5 Orbits Dual Satellite Payload

Communications Today, July 9, 2002

France-based Arianespace launched two communications satellites, Stellat 5 and N-STAR c, last Friday in a dual-payload mission from Kourou, French Guiana, that marked the company's eighth successful launch in as many tries this year.

Stellat 5, built by Alcatel's [ALA] Alcatel Space unit for the Stellat joint venture, and N-STAR c, manufactured by American manufacturers Orbital Sciences [ORB] and Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems [LMT] for Japanese wireless giant NTT DoCoMo [DCM], were carried by an Ariane 5 rocket. The commercial launch services company has used six Ariane 4 and two Ariane 5 boosters to carry 10 payloads in the past five and a half months.

The mission, the ninth commercial launch of the Ariane 5 launcher, confirmed Arianespace's position as the benchmark launch provider for European, American and Japanese operators, company officials said. Arianespace has signed up eight new payloads so far this year, they added.

The next Ariane mission, designated Flight 155 with an Ariane 5, is slated for late August.