The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has chosen Arianespace to launch its GSAT-17 and GSAT-18 telecommunications satellites.
The two satellites will be launched by Ariane 5 launch vehicles at the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, in 2016 and 2017.
GSAT-17 and GSAT-18: telecommunications for India
The GSAT-17 and GSAT-18 satellites, designed, assembled and integrated by ISRO, will each weigh around 3,400 kg at launch.
They are planned as replacement satellites for the currently operational satellites providing key national services in multiple frequency bands including C, Extended-C and Ku Bands.
Commenting on this latest contract, Arianespace Chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël said: “The 34-year-old partnership between Arianespace and ISRO has gained new momentum with the signature of the GSAT-17 and GSAT-18 launch contracts. On the same day as we successfully launched GSAT-15, the 19th launch by Arianespace for ISRO, it is a great honor indeed to be once more selected by ISRO for GSAT-17 and GSAT-18. Through these selections we will continue to contribute to the deployment of space applications in India for the benefit of its citizens. We are fully committed to continuing this partnership that supports India’s ambitious objectives in space.”
About Arianespace
Arianespace is the world’s leading satellite launch company. Founded in 1980, Arianespace deploys a family of three launchers, Ariane, Soyuz and Vega, to meet the needs of both commercial and government customers, and has performed over 260 launches to date. Backed by its 20 shareholders and the European Space Agency, Arianespace is the only company in the world capable of launching all types of payloads into all orbits, from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. As of November 10, 2015, Arianespace had carried out 227 Ariane launches, 38 Soyuz launches (12 at the Guiana Space Center and 26 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, via Starsem) and five Vega launches. Arianespace is headquartered in Evry, near Paris, and has a facility at the Guiana Space Center, plus local offices in Washington D.C., Tokyo and Singapore.
