Posted: Tue, Mar 13, 2012, 6:41 AM ET (1041 GMT)
Commercial launch providers Arianespace and Sea Launch announced a total of three new launch contracts on Monday. Arianespace announced it won a contract from Eutelsat and Es'hailSat, the Qatar Satellite Company, to launch the Eutelsat 25B/Es'hail 1 satellite on an Ariane 5. The satellite, weighing over six tons, is being built by Space Systems/Loral and is scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2013. Sea Launch announced it had secured a contract for another Eutelsat satellite, Eutelsat 70B. That satellite, under construction by EADS Astrium, is scheduled for launch on a Zenit-3SL in the fourth quarter of this year. Sea Launch also announced a deal with Intelsat for the Intelsat 27 satellite, a Boeing 702-MP model slated for launch in early 2013.

Related Links:

•  Space News article
•  RIA Novosti article
•  Arianespace press release
•  Sea Launch press release about Eutelsat 70B
•  Sea Launch press release about Intelsat 27