Arianespace Sucessfully Launches Amazonas 4A and Astra 5B Satellites
Kourou, French Guiana, March 22, 2014--Arianespace's Arian 5 rocket successfully launched Hispasat's Amazons 4A satellite and SES' ASTRA 5A satellite from its launch facility in Kourou, French Guiana.It was the 59th successful launch in a row for the Ariane 5 rocket.
Amazonas 4A which will have a operational life of 15 years, will provide coverage to South America, from Venezuela and Colombia to the south of Argentina and Chile. Operated by HISPAMAR Satélites, the Hispasat's Brazilian subsidiary, the Amazonas 4A will widen the offering of audiovisual services in the region, according to the company.
Elena Pisonero, President of Hispasat said “ the Amazonas 4A is the HISPASAT Group’s response to a challenge: to supply, in record time, additional space capacity in Latin America to satisfy the increase in demand for audiovisual services which will come with the holding of the important sporting events in Brazil in the years to come.” Pisonero said HISPASAT’s strategic bet on Latin America has made it a leading operator and a reference company in the region from the very beginning. She added: “We want to continue to be true to this commitment offering innovative and high quality services”.
Amazonas 4A was manufactured by Orbital, based on its Geostar 2.4e platform. It has a launch mass of nearly three tonnes and measures 23 metres wide and 4.7 metres high. It has 24 transponders in the Ku band, two deployables antennas and attitude control in three axes which will assure pointing precision.
ASTRA 5B will be the eighth Eurostar E3000 satellite in the SES fleet to be placed in orbit, following the launches of ASTRA 2F in September 2012, SES-6 in June 2013 and ASTRA 2E in September 2013. A further Eurostar E3000 satellite for SES (ASTRA 2G) is currently undergoing the final integration phase and tests at Airbus Defence and Space facilities, with work having also begun on the design of the SES-10, the newest member the SES fleet, ordered in February 2013.
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