Satnews Daily
November 10th, 2015

A Double Header... Ariane 5 Launches Another Double Success For Airbus Defence + Space


[Satnews] “ARABSAT-6B is the third of five telecommunications satellites built by Airbus Defence and Space to be launched in 2015,” said François Auque, Head of Space Systems. “The 69th successful launch in a row also confirms the outstanding capabilities of the European launcher teams and our ability to use our experience to put in place the industrial organisationfor future European launchers.”

Following the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), for which Airbus Defence and Space is responsible, ARABSAT-6B renamed BADR-7 will join the fleet of satellites operated by Arabsat at the 26 degrees E location in geostationary orbit, from where it will provide broadcast, broadband and telecommunications services for at least the next 15 years.


François Auque,
Head of Space Systems

Airbus Defence and Space, a 50 percent shareholder in Airbus Safran Launchers, is the main industrial partner in the Ariane 5 program, one of the world’s largest and most ambitious space programs. The industrial network brings together more than 550 companies in 12 European countries. Drawing on the expertise the company has acquired and the investments it has made over more than 10 years, Ariane 5 has become the most reliable commercial launcher on the global market and has increased its geostationary orbit payload capacity by almost two tonnes. Representing cutting-edge European expertise, the Ariane 5 launcher has been specially designed to inject heavy payloads into orbit.