ARIANESPACE FLIGHT VA212

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ARIANESPACE FLIGHT VA212
AMAZONAS 3 & AZERSPACE/AFRICASAT-1a

THE LAUNCH READINESS REVIEW (RAL) took place in Kourou on Tuesday February 5, 2013 and authorized count-down operations for the AMAZONAS 3 and AZERSPACE/AFRICASAT-1a launch.
Arianespace will orbit two telecommunications satellites on its first Ariane 5 launch of the year: Amazonas-3 for Spanish operator Hispasat, and Azerspace/Africasat-1a for the Azerbaijani operator Azercosmos.

The choice of Arianespace by leading space communications operators and manufacturers is clear international recognition of the company’s excellence in launch services.

It will be launched from the Ariane launch complex N° 3 (ELA3), in Kourou, French Guiana.


THE ARIANE 5 ECA LAUNCHER LIFT-OFF for this flight is scheduled on February 7 to 8, 2013 as soon as possible within the following launch window:

> Kourou: Between 06:36pm and 07:20pm on February 7

> UTC: Between 09:36pm and 10:20pm on February 7

> Paris: Between 10:36pm and 11:20pm on February 7

> Washington: Between 04:36pm and 05:20pm on February 7

 

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Arianespace orbits Amazonas-3 and Azerspace/Africasat-1a satellites
First Ariane 5 ECA mission in 2013 a success

On Thursday, February 7, 2013, Arianespace successfully carried out the 54th Ariane 5 launch in a row, orbiting two telecommunications satellites: Amazonas-3 for Spanish operator Hispasat, and Azerspace/Africasat-1a for the Azerbaijani operator Azercosmos 0JSC and the Azerbaijan Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies.

First Ariane 5 launch of 2013 and a new record
Today's successful mission, the 54th in a row for the European launcher, once again proves the reliability and availability of the Ariane 5 launch system. It also confirms that Arianespace continues to set the standard for independent access to space for all operators, including national and international space agencies, private industry and governments.

The 68th launch of Ariane 5 set a new record for weight injected into geostationary transfer orbit: the launcher on this mission carried a total payload of 10,317 kg, including 9,503 kg for the two satellites, Amazonas-3 and Azerspace/Africasat-1a.

This was the first Ariane 5 launch in 2013. Its success once again illustrated the operational capability of this launcher, the only one now on the market capable of simultaneously launching two payloads.

Launching satellites for a long-standing customer and a new operator
Arianespace provides the launch services most clearly matches the requirements of all operators.

Amazonas-3 is the seventh Spanish satellite launched by Arianespace. The company first launched the Hispasat 1A and 1B satellites in 1992 and 1993, respectively, followed in 2005 and 2006 by the XTAR-Eur and Spainsat satellites for Hispasat and its subsidiary Hisdesat. Amazonas-2 was launched in 2009, followed by Hispasat 1E in 2010.

The Azerspace/Africasat-1a satellite is the first national satellite to be launched by Arianespace for the Azerbaijan Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies.

Arianespace has already launched the first satellites for 31 operators to date.