Arianespace to serve global connectivity for Viasat INC. and eutelsat

For its sixth launch of the year, and the third Ariane 5 mission in 2017 from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, Arianespace will orbit two satellites: ViaSat-2 for ViaSat Inc.; and EUTELSAT 172B for Eutelsat.

This mission – the 237th overall by an Ariane launcher – will mark a new all-time Arianespace record for a total payload weight orbited: 10,865 kg., including a net mass at liftoff of 9,969 kg. for the two satellites.

ViaSat-2 and EUTELSAT 172B are the 558th and 559th satellites to be launched by Arianespace.

With this 289th mission by the Arianespace family of launchers (Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega), Arianespace is serving global connectivity on Earth.

The launch will be from Ariane Launch Complex No. 3 (ELA 3) in Kourou, French Guiana.

Date and time

Liftoff is planned on Thursday, June 1, 2017as early as possible within the following launch window:

Between 4:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m., Carlsbad, California,
Between 7:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., Washington, D.C. time
Between 8:45 p.m. and 9:45 p.m., Kourou, in French Guiana
Between 23:45 and 00:45, Universal Time (UTC) during the night of June 1 to June 2
Between 01:45 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., Paris time on June 2.

mission duration

The nominal duration of the mission (from liftoff to separation of the satellites) is:  41 minutes, 47 seconds.

Targeted ORBIT
                   
Perigee altitude 250 km.       
Apogee altitude 35,706 km.       
Inclination 6 degrees

The Launch Readiness Review (LRR) will take place on Tuesday, May 30, 2017 in Kourou, to authorize the start of operations for the final countdown.

ViaSat-2 is the first ViaSat satellite to be launched by Arianespace.

ViaSat Inc., a new customer for Arianespace and its Ariane 5 launch vehicle, provides international communities with broadband internet connectivity, accessible on land, at sea and in the air, at competitive rates in relation to other satellite or terrestrial services.

The ViaSat-2 satellite system should bring considerable improvements in terms of speed, lower costs and extended broadband coverage within its footprint, as well as along the main aeronautical and maritime routes linking North America and Europe (Atlantic Ocean).

ViaSat-2 will also provide nearly twice the capacity offered by previous generations of ViaSat satellites, along with seven times as much coverage.

Positioned at 70° West, ViaSat-2 will provide throughput of approximately 300 Gbps in Ka-band over its coverage zone, which includes North and Central America, plus the Caribbean, northern South America, and aeronautical and maritime routes in the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe.

ViaSat-2 was built by Boeing in El Segundo, California, using a 702HP platform.

EUTELSAT 172B will be the 32nd satellite launched by Arianespace for Eutelsat. Both companies have worked side-by-side since 1983, when Arianespace launched the Eutelsat-1 F1 satellite. Including this upcoming launch, more than half of Eutelsat’s satellites will have been orbited by Arianespace.

Eutelsat is one of the world’s leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 39 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations; pay-TV operators; video, data and Internet service providers; enterprises and government agencies.

EUTELSAT 172B will deliver increased capacity for fast-growing applications that include in-flight and maritime connectivity, cellular backhaul, corporate networks, video distribution and government services. It will be located at 172° East, a key neighborhood providing exceptional Asia-Pacific reach over land and sea, from Alaska to Australia.

EUTELSAT 172B is the first all-electric telecommunications satellite built in Europe. This key enabling technology has been implemented by Airbus in Toulouse, using the new all-electric Eurostar E3000 EOR (Electric Orbit Raising) platform.

For further information, download the Launch Kit by clicking here:  http://www.arianespace.com/press-kits/

To watch a live, high-speed online transmission of the launch (including commentary from the launch site in French and English), go to arianespace.com on June 1, 2017 starting 15 minutes before liftoff.