spacetoday.net: Arianespace announced three launch contracts

Posted: Fri, Jun 22, 2007, 7:20 PM ET (2320 GMT)
Ariane 5 ECA launch of Spaceway 2 and Telkom 2 (Arianespace)

Arianespace announced Thursday and Friday contracts for the launches of three communications satellites for customers in Africa, Europe, and India. On Thursday Arianespace announced that it will launch the Thor 6 satellite for Norwegian operator Telenor Satellite Broadcasting. The satellite, a Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B2 model, will be launched by mid-2009 on either an Ariane 5 or a Soyuz. Also on Thursday Arianespace announced it will launch the long-delayed Rascom 1 satellite for African company Rascom-QAF. The satellite will be launched in late 2007 on an Ariane 5. On Friday Arianespace said it will launch the Insat 4G communications satellite for the Indian space agency ISRO, extending a long-running relationship between ISRO and Arianespace. The spacecraft will be launched by the end of 2008 on an Ariane 5. Separately, Arianespace and the Russian space agency signed an agreement this week for the purchase of the first four Soyuz rockets to be launched from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.