With the first successful launch of the year behind it Arianespace is looking forward to a busy year. Currently Arianespace has up to nine Ariane 4 and five Ariane 5 launches planned for 2000.
The next mission, Flight 127, is slated for February 16, 2000. The 44LP version of the Ariane 4 launcher will carry the SuperBird-4 satellite, which also is built by Hughes Space & Communications, for the Japanese operator Space Communications Corporation (SCC).
The launch January 24, saw a Hughes HS-601 GEO bird build for PanAmSat successfully placed into an accurate geostationary transfer orbit. Dubbed Galaxy XR the telecommunications satellite will serve north American markets for PanAmSat.
The nighttime Ariane 4 flight at 10.05pm local time, was the 15th spacecraft launched by Arianespace for PanAmSat, and followed another flight for PamAmSat on Dec. 21. Arianespace will orbit two more satellites for PanAmSat in 2000: GALAXY 4R and the PAS 1R in March/April and May respectively.
Arianespace says it’s aiming for an even higher availability in 2000 with backlog of launches that now stands at 40 satellites. Arianespace has booked a total of 207 launch contracts to date.
