spacetoday.net: Arianespace, Sea Launch announce new contracts

Arianespace, Sea Launch announce new contracts

Posted: Tue, Mar 19, 2013, 6:44 AM ET (1044 GMT)
Ariane 5 ECA before launch of Skynet 5C (Arianespace)

Arianespace has won a contract to launch three Intelsat spacecraft while Sea Launch has an agreement to launch an EchoStar spacecraft despite a launch failure earlier this year, the companies announced Monday. Arianespace will launch three large Intelsat communications satellites on Ariane 5 rockets through 2017. The specific spacecraft to be launched under the deal were not disclosed, but will include Intelsat's EpicNG line of high-throughput satellites. Sea Launch said it had a "preliminary agreement" to launch an unnamed EchoStar on its Zenit-3SL rocket in 2015. The agreement is the first for Sea Launch since a February 1 launch failure.