WASHINGTON---The first of the Intelsat IX-series satellites was placed into an accurate geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane 4 launched from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana this morning.
The Intelsat 901 payload was the 18th Intelsat satellite launched by Ariane, confirming the global telecommunications operator's long-term confidence in Arianespace. Intelsat and Arianespace have worked together since 1983. Since then, 60 percent of all Intelsat satellites now in operation have been orbited by Ariane launchers, and Intelsat has become Arianespace's leading customer.
Five more Intelsat IX-series satellites are scheduled for launch by Arianespace, including one more spacecraft this year. The Intelsat IX-series satellites are tailored for today's telecommunications demands, and are key to Intelsat's business development strategy.
62nd successful launch in a row for Ariane 4 Today's Flight 141 once again demonstrated the quality and reliability of Arianespace's launch services. Since March 1995, Arianespace has performed 62 successful Ariane 4 launches in a row.
Ariane 5 next in line Three more Ariane 4 launches and four Ariane 5 missions are planned through the end of 2001. The next Arianespace launch, Flight 142, is slated for July 12. For this mission, an Ariane 5 will orbit a dual payload: the Artemis experimental telecommunications satellite for the European Space Agency (ESA), and the BSAT-2b direct TV broadcast satellite built by Orbital Sciences Corporation of the United States for the Japanese B-SAT consortium. Flight 142 will be the seventh commercial mission for Europe's new-generation heavy launcher.
Following this morning's mission, Arianespace's backlog stands at 37 satellites to be launched, plus 9 ATV missions for the International Space Station.
Flight 141 at a glance Flight 141 was carried out by an Ariane 44L, the most powerful version of this launcher, equipped with four liquid-propellant strap-on boosters. Liftoff from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana was on June 9, 2001 at 3:45 am local time (6h45 GMT; 8:45 am in Paris and 2:45 am in Washington, D.C.).
Intelsat 901 Built by Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto, California, the Intelsat 901 satellite will be positioned at 342 degrees East. It joins the Intelsat fleet of satellites providing telecommunications and television services for the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Intelsat 901 weighed 4,723 kg. at liftoff, and is equipped with 42 C-band transponders and 14 Ku-band transponders. It has a design life of more than 13 years.
Intelsat is an international communications provider offering Internet, broadcast, telephony and corporate network solutions around the globe through its fleet of 19 satellites. For nearly four decades, many of the world's leading telecommunications companies, multinational corporations and broadcasters in more than 200 countries and territories have relied on Intelsat satellites and staff for quality connections, global reach and reliability.
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 contracts for the launch of more than 230 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). (ends)
Successful Launch: Loral-Built Intelsat 901 Telecommunications Satellite Arianespace Today Lofted the Intelsat 901 Satellite for the Intelsat Telecommunications Organization
