Ariane_5ES.jpg

The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a contract to Arianespace for the launch of Galileo navigation satellites aboard its Ariane 5 ES.

Under the contract, Arianespace’s three Ariane 5 ES launch-vehicles will deploy 12 Galileo full operational capability satellites from 2015 onwards.

Arianespace chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël said: "With its Ariane 5 ES heavy-lift launch-vehicle, Arianespace is able to provide the most appropriate solution for stepping up the deployment of the entire Galileo constellation.

"Arianespace is able to provide the most appropriate solution for stepping up the deployment of the entire Galileo constellation."

"With the three Ariane, Vega and Soyuz launch-vehicles operated from the Guiana Space Centre, Arianespace is giving Europe guaranteed access to space and suitable solutions to meet its wide-ranging needs."

In total, Arianespace will be responsible to deploy 22 FOC satellites of Galileo constellation into circular orbit at an altitude of 23,522km using its five Soyuz launch-vehicles and three Ariane 5 ES launch-vehicles.

The satellites are being manufactured by the German group OHB System and UK-based Surrey Satellite Technology.

These satellites will complement the four IOV satellites, including IOV 1&2 and IOV 3&4, which were launched by Arianespace in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

Arianespace and its subsidiary Starsem also launched the initial satellites in the Galileo constellation, Giove-A and Giove-B, in 2005 and 2008 respectively from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Image: Ariane 5 ES with ATV-4 on board. Photo: courtesy of DLR German Aerospace Centre.

Defence Technology