As the world’s first launch Service & Solutions company, founded in 1980, Arianespace continues to consolidate its world market leadership as it celebrates its 30th anniversary and ongoing success in Japan.

30 years of success

Arianespace has signed over 300 launch Service & Solutions contracts since being created in 1980. It has launched 283 satellites for 77 customers to date, accounting for more than half of all commercial satellites now in orbit.

Since the orbiting of Japan’s first commercial satellite – JCSAT-1 – by an Ariane in 1989, 27 Japanese commercial satellites have been entrusted to Arianespace for launch.

Setting the pace in space

With 38 successful launches in a row over the last seven years, Ariane 5 has largely proven its technical maturity and operational capabilities.

In 2010, three Ariane 5s already have been launched, and three more flights with this heavy-lift workhorse are planned by year-end. The next Ariane 5 launch, scheduled for October 28, will loft the W3B for Eutelsat and BSAT-3b for B-SAT Corporation.

Furthermore, Arianespace and its Starsem subsidiary also will orbit the first six satellites in Globalstar’s “new generation” constellation on October 19, on a Soyuz mission from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The first Ariane 5 launch of 2011 – which will be the 200th Ariane mission – is to orbit the Johannes Kepler ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) cargo vessel for servicing of the International Space Station (ISS), thus confirming the versatility of the European launch system.

Record backlog

Capitalizing on its range of launchers, Arianespace has won more than half of the commercial launch contracts open to competition worldwide in the past two years. This gives it a very healthy backlog, with contracts from 27 customers.

Since the beginning of 2010, Arianespace already has signed new nine contracts for the launch of geostationary satellites by Ariane 5, along with six contracts for dedicated Soyuz launches.

With 32 satellites to be placed in geostationary transfer orbit using Ariane 5, along with six launches by Ariane 5 for the ATV cargo vessel for missions to the International Space Station, plus 18 Soyuz launches, Arianespace now has the largest backlog in the industry, representing 4.4 billion euros.

In addition to the BSAT-3b spacecraft slated for launch on October 28, Arianespace counts two more Japanese satellites in its backlog: JCSAT-13 and BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R, to be launched next year.

A family of launchers

In the coming months, the heavy-lift Ariane 5 launcher will be joined at the Guiana Space Center by the medium-lift Soyuz launch vehicle and the lightweight Vega. This will give Arianespace a complete family of launchers, capable of lofting all types of satellites for all customers.

The first launch of a Soyuz rocket from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana is set for the spring of 2011. Arianespace has ordered 24 of these launchers from Russian industry. The first two Soyuz vehicles already are in French Guiana.

Refurbishment of the ELA-1 launch pad for the new Vega light launcher is nearly completed. Each of the vehicles’ three solid propulsion stages has successfully passed static firing tests. The first Vega launch from French Guiana is expected next year as well.

Arianespace and Japan

Arianespace opened its Tokyo office in the spring of 1986. Since then, Arianespace has won 27 contracts in Japan from the 36 open to competition (representing a 75% market share), and launched the LDREX 1 & LDREX2 payloads for JAXA.

In parallel, Arianespace and Mitsubishi Heavy Industry have developed very close ties, with combined satellite launch offerings to customers using the Ariane 5 and H-IIA vehicles.

Japan already is one of Arianespace’s leading partners, and will remain so for many years to come given the breadth and depth of Japan’s space program.

About Arianespace

Arianespace is the world’s leading launch Service & Solutions company, providing innovation to its customers since 1980. Backed by 24 shareholders and the European Space Agency, Arianespace offers an unrivalled family of launchers, comprising Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega, and an international workforce renowned for a culture of commitment and excellence. As of October 1, 2010, Arianespace had launched a total of 283 payloads, including more than half of all the commercial satellites now in service worldwide. It has a backlog of 22 Ariane 5 and 18 Soyuz launches, equal to more than three years of business.