The Ariane 5 European launcher has achieved its fifth success of 2016 by successfully putting two telecommunications satellites into orbit: Sky Muster II and GSAT-18.
The mission lifted off on 5 October from the European Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, at 17:30 local time, 22:30 CET.
Seven consecutive perfect flights, 100% reliability. With these results, the Vega European launcher confirms to be the most reliable vector of the new generation on the international markets. And it wins the confidence of special customers such as Terra Bella (Google) for its SkySat satellites and the government of Perù for the first satellite in the history of the country (PerùSAT-1).
Vega, the European launcher built by Avio, is on the launch pad at the European Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, set to place into orbit satellites of major importance for everyday life.
The seventh (VV07) flight also signals the start of the commercial phase, for which Avio has already signed a contract for ten launchers with Arianespace worth in the region of 260 million Euros.
Vega, the European launcher built by Avio, was chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the launch of its ADM-Aeolus satellite scheduled for late 2017.
The mission will play a key role in the Earth exploration program as ADM-Aeolus will enable three-dimensional observation of the winds, thereby helping scientists to gain more detailed knowledge on the subject and improve mathematical models on the atmosphere’s behaviour. The direct result of the mission will be improved quality of weather forecasting and of climate research.
European launcher Ariane 5 has successfully completed its third mission in 2016, putting the BRIsat and EchoStar XVIII satellites into orbit.
The mission left the European Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana Saturday 18th June at 18:39 local time, 23:39 in Roma, and had a duration of 42 minutes. The BRIsat and EchoStar 18 satellites were put correctly into a geostationary transfer orbit.
The mission lifted off at 02:20 AM local time, 06:20 AM in Rome, from the Kourou European Space Centre in French Guiana, and lasted for a total of 27 minutes and 23 seconds. EUTELSAT 65 WEST A was correctly placed into a geostationary transfer orbit.
This is the 273rd mission carried out by the European family of launchers, which includes the VEGA – a next-generation launcher designed and built by AVIO through its ELV subsidiary. The two motors produced by AVIO provided the necessary thrust to Ariane 5 in the first 120 seconds after take-off.
Ariane 5 is ready for its first flight in 2016: on January 27, a European launcher will propel the Intelsat 29e satellite into orbit. This will be the 273rd mission carried out by the European family of launchers, which includes the VEGA – a next-generation launcher designed and built by AVIO through its ELV subsidiary.
