Arianespace launch schedule

[eeergo]

Some new information about the future (predicted) launch rate of Arianespace:

Arianespace and Astrium sign agreement on Ariane 5 production increase

February 15, 2007

Arianespace and Astrium Space Transportation have decided to increase the Ariane 5 production rate, with the company's two top executives confirming the output ramp-up by signing a declaration today in Bremen, Germany.

[...]

The agreement puts in place the investments needed to supply seven Ariane 5 ECA launchers per year, beginning in February 2008. It also provides the possibility to perform an additional mission annually in a specific Ariane 5 version – for instance to orbit the large Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), which is to service the International Space Station.

http://www.arianespace.com/site/news/feature_2007_02_15_index.html

[mr.columbus]

eeergo - 18/2/2007  9:57 AM

Some new information about the future (predicted) launch rate of Arianespace:

Arianespace and Astrium sign agreement on Ariane 5 production increase

February 15, 2007

Arianespace and Astrium Space Transportation have decided to increase the Ariane 5 production rate, with the company's two top executives confirming the output ramp-up by signing a declaration today in Bremen, Germany.

[...]

The agreement puts in place the investments needed to supply seven Ariane 5 ECA launchers per year, beginning in February 2008. It also provides the possibility to perform an additional mission annually in a specific Ariane 5 version – for instance to orbit the large Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), which is to service the International Space Station.

http://www.arianespace.com/site/news/feature_2007_02_15_index.html

That might bring the launch rate from Kourou to about 12+ annually together with Soyuz and Vega in the 2008+ timeframe. I hope they are keeping up with the great mission coverage even with this high flight rate.

[Satori]

ATV launch delayed to November: http://space.com/news/070316_iss_europedelays.html

[Watchdog]

Two satellites from the Zenit manifest are now scheduled for an Ariane 5 launch: Horizons 2 and Intelsat 11.

The following launch sequence seems to be reasonable:

Astra 1-F and Galaxy 17 on an Ariane 5ECA on May 03
B-sat 3-A and Spaceway 3 on an Ariane 5ECA on August 18
Horizons 2 and Intelsat 11 on an Ariane 5GS in September
ATV-1 Jules Verne on an Ariane 5ES in November
Terrestar 1 on either an Ariane 5GS or including a second pessenger on an Ariane 5ECA in December

There are no additional payloads at the moment, but may emerge in the second or third quarter of 2007.

[Satori]

I thought that TerreStar-1 was to be launched in 2008. And what about the Star One C satellites?

[SIM city]

You're missing Optus D2 and Skynet 5B in November/December

[Watchdog]

If Terrestar 1 will be launched in 2008, the final launch of 2007 may be Star One C1 or Optus D-2 in combination with Skynet 5-B. It was reported that there are some financial problems related with the launch of Star One C1 although this comsat is urgently needed to replace the aging Brasilsat B-1/B-2.

In respect to Optus D-2, this comsat was reported to be the first payload of the Soyuz 2 from Kourou. Since the maiden flight was postponed until 2009 it could be possible to launch Optus D-2 as early as September replacing either Intelsat 11 or Horizons 2 from the fourth Ariane launch of 2007. This seems to be reasonable in order to minimize the risk of loosing two comsats of Intelsat at once in case of a launch failure.

The second Intelsat comsat could then be the payload flying the December mission in combination with either Star One C1 or Skynet 5-B. Final decissions will certainly be made according to the availability of the comsats.

[SIM city]

The two Intelsats are flying together on an Ariane 5 GS in September and Optus D2 is definitely on an Ariane 5 ECA in November or December (per the operator and manufacturer).  There were technical problems with the Star One C1, but the C2 was also supposed to launch this year.  I don't know which payload it would be paired with and when.

[anik]

DLR schedule has updated the launch date for Ariane 5 ECA rocket with SpaceWay 3 and BSat 3a satellites - August 14 now...

[SIM city]

Currently planned Ariane pairings for the rest of the year are:

Spaceway/BSAT on August 14
IS 11/Horizons 2 in September
RascomStar/Optus D2 in October (depending on ATV)
ATV in mid November
Skynet 5B/Star One C2 in December

If ATV actually goes in mid November, the October mission will push to 2008.

[Satori]

SIM city - 17/5/2007  9:36 AM

RascomStar/(...)

If ATV actually goes in mid November, the October mission will push to 2008.

Humm, is this the satellite that was planned to by launched by a chinese rocket?

[SIM city]

Yes

[Space Lizard]

AFAIK, the contract was claimed by the Chinese but never actually signed.

[sammie]

Am I missing something, but how could a Alcatel Alenia Space Satellite be launched on a Chinese launch vehicle in the first place. Isn't that platform barred from Chinese vehicles because of ITAR and export regulations?

[Skyrocket]

Alcatel Alenia offers ITAR-free spacecraft (e.g. APStar 6, Chinasat 9, Chinasat 6B and probably also RASCOM-QAF 1).