Arianespace has successfully launched two telecommunications satellites: SGDC for Visiona Tecnologia Espacial S.A, on behalf of the Brazilian operator Telebras S.A. and the Brazilian government; and KOREASAT-7 for South Korean operator ktsat.

The launch took place on Tuesday, May 4 at 6:50 pm (local time) from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Today's launch was the fourth of the year for Arianespace and the second in 2017 with the Ariane 5 heavy launcher, which also recorded its 78th successful mission in a row. In addition, it was the seventh Arianespace mission that carried two satellites built by Thales Alenia Space.

SGDC, the Geostationary Defence and Strategic Communications Satellite, is the first satellite for the Brazilian operator Telebras S.A. to be orbited by Arianespace, within the scope of a turnkey contract with the company Visiona Tecnologia Espacial S.A.

SGDC is a Brazilian government program, designed to meet three main objectives:

Reduce the country's digital divide by supplying high-quality internet services across all of Brazil, within the scope of a national broadband plan.

Provide independent and secure strategic communications services for the Brazilian armed forces and government.

Provide the Brazilian space industry with key technologies so that it can play a growing role in the country's future space programs.

A major player in Brazil since 1985, Arianespace has successfully launched all 11 Brazilian telecom satellites for legacy operator Embratel, as well as Star One, a wholly-owned Embratel subsidiary.

With this latest mission, Arianespace has now launched three satellites providing coverage of Brazil during the past six months:

+ Star One D1 (December 2016)
+ SKY Brasil 1 (February 2017)
+ SGDC (March 2017)

Arianespace: a launch for ktsat and benchmark partner to the South Korean space program

KOREASAT-7 is the third satellite to be launched by Arianespace for South Korean operator ktsat, a subsidiary of KT Corp, the largest telecommunications/media service provider in the country. It follows the launches of KOREASAT-3 in 1999 and KOREASAT-6 in 2010.

KOREASAT-7 will provide a wide range of video and data transmission applications, including internet access, direct-to-home (DTH) TV broadcasting, government communications and connectivity to VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) networks, to extend services to isolated areas.

Starting with the launch of the first ever South Korean satellites - KITSAT-1A in 1992 and KITSAT-2 in 1993 - Arianespace has become a major partner to the country's space program. Including this latest Flight VA236 mission, more than half of South Korea's geostationary satellites have been launched by Arianespace. The company's order book includes two more satellites for the Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI): GEO-KOMPSAT-2A, planned for 2018, and GEO-KOMPSAT-2B, planned for 2019.

Arianespace has launched 6 satellites for South Korea since 1992:

+ KITSAT 1A (1992)
+ KITSAT 2 (1993)
+ KOREASAT-3 (1999)
+ COMS-1 (2010)
+ KOREASAT-6 (2010)
+ KOREASAT-7 (May 4, 2017)

7th Arianespace flight carrying two Thales Alenia Space-built satellites on the same launcher

Today's mission was the seventh Arianespace dual-launch carrying two satellites built by Thales Alenia Space. SGDC and KOREASAT-7 were built in Thales Alenia Space's plants in Cannes and Toulouse (France), using the Spacebus 4000C4 and 4000B2 platforms, respectively. These platforms are perfectly adapted to Arianespace's launcher family.

Arianespace and Thales Alenia Space have developed a very solid and fruitful relationship since the launch of Meteosat-F2 on June 19, 1981. SGDC and KOREASAT-7 are the 147th and 148th Thales Alenia Space satellites to be launched by Arianespace.

Eight more Thales Alenia Space satellites are to be launched by Arianespace in the coming years.

Shortly after the announcement of the orbital injection of the two satellites, Stephane Israel, CEO of Arianespace, said: "With this second successful launch of the year by Ariane 5, and the 78th successful mission in a row by our heavy launcher, Arianespace proudly gives our Brazilian and South Korean customers the benefits of our excellent launch services. We are honored by the confidence expressed today by Visiona Tecnologia Espacial, which chose us for its first satellite on behalf of the operator Telebras and the Brazilian government; as well as that of the South Korean operator ktsat, for whom we have launched three satellites since 1999.

"Congratulations to all our partners for this 92nd launch of an Ariane 5: Thales Alenia Space, which built both satellites launched on the same Ariane for the seventh time since 1991; our primary shareholder, Airbus Safran Launchers, and the entire European launcher industry for the reliability and availability of this heavy launcher; ESA, which provides essential support for the Ariane program; CNES/CSG, our ground segment companies and all staff at the space center, who continue to work alongside us as we go from success to success. And, of course, I would like to congratulate everybody at Arianespace for this successful launch, the fourth of the year."

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Strike-delayed European rocket launch to go ahead
Paris (AFP) May 3, 2017
A satellite launch delayed since March 20 due to a crippling general strike in French Guiana, will go ahead on Thursday, launch firm Arianespace said. An Ariane 5 rocket is set to hoist two telecommunications satellites, one South Korean and the other Brazilian, into Earth orbit from Europe's space port in Kourou, Guiana, The French territory was hit by more than a month of disruptions f ... read more

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