Arianespace Wins Launch Contracts with DirecTV, PanAmSat

PARIS, France, Sept. 10/Satnews Daily/Satnews Daily/ — Arianespace announced yesterday the signing of two new contracts with the DirecTV Group for the launch of Spaceway 2 satellite in April and the second contract for a still un-named DTH satellite.

Arianespace also announced it has been chosen by U.S. operator PanAmSat to launch the Galaxy 17 satellite. Galaxy 17 will be orbited by an Ariane 5 as early as late 2006 from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Arianespace said its new contract with DirecTV is its sixth and seventh contracts of the year, and fifth and sixth overall with the DirecTV Group.

The first contract will be for the launch of the Spaceway 2 satellite in April 2005. This 6.1 metric ton satellite carries an all Ka-Band payload destined to expand and enhance DirecTV's direct-to-home (DTH) television service and to provide satellite broadband services across the United States. The second contract is for an un-named direct-to-home satellite. Both payloads will fly the Ariane 5 from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Launch preparation of the Spaceway 2 satellite will be completed in seven months from contract signature to launch.

PanAmSat’s Galaxy 17 will be built by Alcatel Space using its Spacebus 3000 B3 platform.  Galaxy 17 will provide TV broadcast and telephony services for North America.  Offering a design life of 15 years, it will weigh about 4,100 kg at liftoff and will be fitted with 24 Ku-band and 24 C-band transponders. This will be the 21st Arianespace launch for PanAmSat.

Jean-Yves Le Gall, CEO of Arianespace said the contract with DirecTV proves Arianespace's flexibility and innovative solutions meet our customers' changing needs.

"The contracts also mark the first use of Arianespace's unique approach of providing "mass in orbit" to its customers," remarked Le Gall, "giving a combined price for the two contracts based on the total mass of the satellites."

Financial terms of the contracts were not revealed.

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