Posted: Wed, Jan 10, 2007, 7:10 AM ET (1210 GMT)
Arianespace announced this week that it has won a contract to launch the first spacecraft for new satellite operator ProtoStar. An Ariane 5 will launch the 4100-kilogram ProtoStar 1 spacecraft for ProtoStar Ltd. in March 2008, according to an Arianespace statement. Last week ProtoStar announced a contract with Space Systems/Loral to refurbish the spacecraft, originally built as ChinaSat-8 for a Chinese customer but never launched because export control restrictions prevented the US-built spacecraft from being sent to China for launch there.

Related Links:

•  Launchspace.com article
•  Arianespace press release