EVRY, France---Today at CommunicAsia in Singapore, Arianespace announced the signing of a launch contract for two SES Americom satellites, AMC-13 and AMC-15.
With this latest business win, Arianespace confirms its world leadership in the launch services market. Arianespace has taken 8 of the 11 contracts open to competition so far this year, further demonstrating the competitiveness of the Ariane launch system. By choosing Ariane, SES Americom, a SES Global company, a pioneer in telecom services for the United States, has renewed its confidence in the quality of Arianespace services.
AMC-13 and AMC-15, new-generation satellites weighing over 4,000 kilograms at liftoff, will be launched by an Ariane 5 booster from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
AMC-13: transoceanic services. Built by Alcatel Space on the Spacebus 4000 platform, the AMC-13 C-band satellite will be positioned at 172 degrees East. It will deliver superior trans-Pacific and regional services as well as connections to the Americas, Australia and Asia-Pacific networks.
Launch is slated for the second half of 2003.
AMC-15: North America's first Ku-Ka hybrid satellite. Based on the A2100 model and being built by Lockheed Martin, AMC-15 will feature North America's first operating Ka-band payload along with 24 Ku-band transponders. It will be positioned at 105 degrees West, and will play an essential role in SES Americom's new direct-to-home service, AMERICOM2Home, in the United States.
The launch of AMC-15 is scheduled for the second half of 2004.
Including the AMC-13 and AMC-15 contracts, Arianespace's backlog now stands at 38 satellites to be launched, plus 9 ATV missions for the International Space Station. It has signed a total of 248 satellite launch contracts since being founded.
With over twenty-five years' experience, SES Americom, Inc. is recognized as a pioneer and leading provider of global satellite communications services currently providing capacity on 16 spacecraft capable of serving the Americas, Europe, the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean Regions, and Asia. As an SES Global company, Americom is able to provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region in the world.
Arianespace is the world's commercial launch services leader holding more than 50 percent of the international market for satellites launched to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). Created in 1980 as the world's first commercial space transportation company, Arianespace has signed 248 launch contracts and has launched more than 200 satellite payloads. The company's headquarters is located in Evry, near Paris and launch operations are performed from the Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana (South America).
