Posted: Tue, Jun 18, 2002, 11:34 PM ET (0334 GMT)
The three biggest players in the commercial launch industry were awarded contracts Tuesday for the launch of five communications satellites. SES Americom awarded two launch contracts each to Arianespace and International Launch Services (ILS). Arianespace will launch AMC-13, an Alcatel Spacebus 4000, in the latter half of 2003 as well as AMC-15, a Lockheed Martin A2100, in the latter half of 2004, each on Ariane 5 vehicles. ILS will launch AMC-10 and AMC-11, both A2100s, on Atlas 2AS vehicles in early 2004. In a separate deal, Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company awarded a contract to Boeing Launch Services to launch the Thuraya-2 satellite on a Sea Launch Zenit 3SL in January 2003. Thuraya also awarded a contract to Boeing Satellite Systems to build the Thuraya-3 satellite; no launch date for it has been set.

Related Links:

•  Americom press release
•  Arianespace press release
•  ILS press release
•  Boeing press release