Arianespace maintained its world leadership in the commercial launch services market in 2003 despite fierce competition and a depressed market.
The company won eight contracts open for bidding during the year – representing more than 50% of the market – and it continues to set the global standards in launch services. In 2003, Starsem won the launch contract for Europe’s Venus Express spacecraft.
As of January 6, 2004, Arianespace’s backlog stood at 33 satellites to be launched, while Starsem had 3 satellites booked for upcoming missions.
Arianespace and Starsem carried out six launches in 2003, four from Kourou and two from Baikonur, launching a combined total of 10 satellites: eight commercial and two for governmental missions.
Europe confirms its support
Another highlight of 2003 was a series of ministerial-level decisions by the European Space Agency Council that guaranteed Arianespace’s long-term future by:
Reaffirming support for the Ariane 5 program and the resumption of Ariane 5 ECA missions, as well as reorganizing launcher development and production.
Officially approving the partnership with Russia, allowing Arianespace to deploy the Soyuz launcher from Europe’s Spaceport at the Guiana Space Center by the end of 2006.
Following these decisions Arianespace signed with EADS an order letter for 30 Ariane 5 launch vehicles covering Arianespace’s needs through 2009.
Arianespace now has the resources needed to meet its ambitious objectives, namely a full range of launch vehicles – Ariane, Soyuz and Vega – that meet all customer requirements for both government and commercial missions.
Arianespace innovates the solutions for tomorrow
Arianespace was able to guarantee the launch of the DirecTV 7S satellite, slated for the first half of 2004, thanks to the launch service alliance agreement signed in July 2003 with Boeing Launch Services and Sea Launch.
This innovative solution, a first in the launch services market, means that customers can count on their scheduled launch dates.
2003 ends on a high note with launch of Amos 2
Initially scheduled for launch on an Ariane 5, the Israeli satellite Amos 2 was orbited by a Soyuz-Fregat launcher from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on December 28. The change in launchers reflects the family policy set up by Arianespace and Starsem to meet customer requirements.
Outlook for 2004
4 to 6 Ariane 5 launches
Four to six Arianes 5 are scheduled to be launched this year. The first launch, planned for February 26, will send Europe’s Rosetta scientific probe into an interplanetary orbit. Rosetta is scheduled to rendezvous with the comet 67P/Churymov-Gerasimenko in August 2014.
Ariane 5 ECA to resume flights
Consolidation of the Ariane 5 ECA version will continue in line with the recommendations of the Flight 157 inquiry board. The next flight of Ariane 5 ECA is now scheduled for the middle of 2004. It will orbit the XTAR satellite and a mockup payload.
The 117th and final Ariane 5 launch, operated by Arianespace, placed two telecommunications satellites in orbit: Heinrich-Hertz-Satellit for the German government and SYRACUSE 4B for the French Armament General Directorate (DGA).
Europe’s Ariane 5 heavy-lift launcher, for which ArianeGroup is the lead contractor, is taking its place in the annals of history and leaves an exceptional heritage of expertise and reliability to its successor Ariane 6.
Ariane 6 will now take over from Ariane 5, in carrying out Europe’s institutional space missions and responding to the growing demands of the commercial market.
On July 5, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. local time, Ariane 5, operated by Arianespace, lifted off flawlessly from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying Heinrich-Hertz-Satellit for the German government and SYRACUSE 4B for the French Ministry of Defence..
The Heinrich-Hertz-Mission is the first dedicated German telecommunications satellite-based mission that will be used to conduct research and to test new technologies and telecommunications scenarios. The technologies on board are meant to respond smartly and flexibly to future challenges, to support future telecommunications scenarios and to be adapted from Earth to address new technical requirements and market needs. The mission is managed by the German Space Agency on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and with the participation of the German Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg). The Heinrich-Hertz-Satellit was mainly developed and built by OHB System.
The SYRACUSE 4B satellite is part of the SYRACUSE IV program carried out under the leadership of the DGA in collaboration with the French Air and Space Force, and for the Space Command (CdE). Together with SYRACUSE 4A, it will enable French armed forces to remain permanently connected when they are deployed on operations. At sea, in the air, or on land, the armed forces need powerful and secure communications systems to be able to exchange information with theIr command center. Thanks to state-of-the-art equipment including an anti-jamming antenna and a digital onboard processor, SYRACUSE 4B will be fully protected against the most severe military threats. It will help guarantee French national sovereignty while also supporting NATO operations. Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space joined forces to develop the SYRACUSE 4A and SYRACUSE 4B satellites so that the program could benefit fully from their combined expertise. .
“This 117th and last Ariane 5 mission is emblematic in several respects. Ariane 5 has just deployed two telecommunications satellites, SYRACUSE 4B and Heinrich-Hertz-Satellit, for France and Germany, the first two contributors to the Ariane program,” said Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace. “This mission is also emblematic of Ariane 5’s ability to perform dual launches, which constitutes the very core of its success, with 197 satellites placed in geostationary orbit out of a total of 239 satellites deployed. Over its career, Ariane 5 has served 65 institutional and commercial customers from 30 countries. Ariane 5’s success heralds a promising career for Ariane 6.”
This launch also marks the end of the remarkable career of the HM7 upper stage engine, which flew on the first Ariane 1 and on the final Ariane 5. It helped power Ariane launchers 228 times, without ever failing. This veteran of spaceflight has been a crucial element in the European space adventure. It will be replaced on Ariane 6 by the re-ignitable Vinci engine.
“Ariane 5 is now taking its place in the annals of global space history. This final successful mission demonstrates once again its supreme reliability in the service of European autonomy and rounds off an exceptional career distinguished by a succession of technological and industrial achievements. I share the emotion of all the employees at ArianeGroup, Arianespace, the French and European space agencies CNES and ESA, and all our European partners, who have contributed to its success over the course of these 27 years,” said Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGroup. “Together we are now taking up the challenge of Ariane 6, the beneficiary of the experience acquired with Ariane 5. It will be able to evolve and play a full role in guaranteeing independent, sustainable access to space for Europe, in a context of major strategic, economic and environmental challenges, to meet the needs of its institutional and commercial customers.”
Leading up to its inaugural flight, Ariane 6 is currently passing a series of key milestones in Europe and in French Guiana. Even more versatile and competitive, Ariane 6 will carry out its first missions with a rapid production ramp-up, supporting Europe’s institutional missions and meeting the swiftly growing demands of the commercial market.
The Ariane 5 heavy-lift launcher is an ESA program carried out in cooperation between public institutions and industry across 12 European partner states.
ArianeGroup is the lead contractor for the development and production of the Ariane family of launchers. It is responsible for Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 preparation operations up to lift-off. ArianeGroup is at the head of a vast industrial network of more than 600 companies, including 350 small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). ArianeGroup delivers a flight-ready launcher on the launch pad to its subsidiary Arianespace, which markets and operates Ariane 5 from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana. During Ariane 5 launch campaigns, Arianespace works closely with the French space agency (CNES), the design authority for the launcher and responsible for the satellite preparation facilities and the launch base.
THE LAUNCH AT A GLANCE
347th Launch operated by Arianespace
More than 1,150 satellites launched by Arianespace
2nd launch operated by Arianespace in 2023
This launch was carried out on July 5, 2023 from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 7:00 p.m. local time (10:00 pm UTC)
117th and last Ariane 5 launch from the European Spaceport
7,680 kg is the total payload carried by the launcher for this mission
91st and final consecutive launch with nominal operation of the Vulcain 2 main-stage engine
117th and final consecutive launch with nominal operation of the solid boosters
157th and final consecutive launch with nominal operation of the HM7B upper-stage engine
About Arianespace
Arianespace uses space to make life better on Earth by providing launch services for all types of satellites into all orbits. It has orbited over 1,100 satellites since 1980. Arianespace is responsible for operating the new-generation Ariane 6 and Vega C launchers, developed by ESA, with respectively ArianeGroup and Avio as industrial primes. Arianespace is headquartered in Evry, near Paris, and has a technical facility at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, plus local offices in Washington, D.C., Tokyo and Singapore. Arianespace is a subsidiary of ArianeGroup, which holds 74% of its share capital, with the balance held by 15 other shareholders from the Ariane and Vega European launcher industry, and ESA and CNES as censors.
About ArianeGroup
ArianeGroup is lead contractor for civil and defense space launcher systems, responsible for the design and the entire production process of Europe’s Ariane 5 and Ariane 6, including marketing and operation by its Arianespace subsidiary, as well as for the design, manufacture, and operational condition maintenance of the missiles of the French oceanic deterrent force. Internationally recognized for its innovative, competitive solutions, ArianeGroup has expertise in all aspects of state-of-the-art space propulsion technologies. ArianeGroup and its subsidiaries also offer their specialist skills in space equipment, services, space surveillance, and critical infrastructure to benefit other industrial sectors. Equally owned by Airbus and Safran, the group employs more than 8,000 highly qualified staff in France and Germany. Its 2022 revenues amounted to €2.4 billion.
Due to unfavorable high altitude winds above the Guiana Space Center, Arianespace has decided not to initiate the final phase of VA261 launch preparation operations.
Subject to favorable weather conditions, the earliest possible launch date for VA261 flight is July 5, 2023:
Between 7:00 p.m. and 8:05 p.m. Kourou, French Guiana time,
Between 10:00 p.m. and 11:05 p.m. Universal time (UTC).
The Ariane 5 launch vehicle and the two satellites –SYRACUSE 4B and Heinrich-Hertz-Satellit– are in stable and safe conditions.
