Ariane 5 is on the cusp of setting 3 new records when it carries the SES-17 and SYRACUSE 4A satellites for its second launch of the year, scheduled for Friday October 22.
Arianespace will orbit two geostationary satellites: SES-17, a high throughput satellite operated by SES and SYRACUSE 4A, a satellite developed for the French Ministry of Defense.
This is the 111th Ariane 5 mission and will mark three new milestones for the heavy-lift European launcher: it will carry an overall performance of approximately 11.2 tons, the combined mass of its two payloads will reach 10.263 tons and it will be precisely 1.5 meter taller than usual.
The two satellites are manufactured by Thales Alenia Space. SES-17 will deliver high-speed inflight and maritime connectivity services as well as connecting underserved companies or communities while SYRACUSE 4A will serve French sovereignty by connecting its armed forces all over the world.
The SES-17 telecommunications satellite provides excellent coverage over the Americas, the Caribbean and over the Atlantic Ocean and has been designed to transform the aviation connectivity landscape and to accelerate digital inclusion initiatives. It features almost 200 spot beams, the power of which can be dynamically adjusted in step with customers’ changing requirements. It is also the first SES satellite to have a totally digital payload and is powered by an advanced digital transparent processor (DTP), enabling far greater flexibility and efficiency than previously available.The Luxembourg based operator’s telecommunications satellite will be one of the largest ever launched by Arianespace.
The SYRACUSE 4A military communications satellite, commissioned by the DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement), France’s defense procurement agency, will allow to connect the armed forces together when deployed. At sea, in the air or on the ground, militaries need secured and powerful communication means in order to be able to exchange information with the command center. Thanks to its state-of-the-art equipment (anti-jamming antenna and digital on board processor), SYRACUSE 4A will guarantee a high resistance to extreme jamming methods.
ArianeGroup is the lead contractor for the development and production of Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 launchers. The company coordinates an industrial network of more than 600 companies (including 350 SMEs). ArianeGroup oversees the entire Ariane 5 industrial supply chain, from performance optimization and associated studies, to production and mission-specific data and software. This chain includes equipment and structures, engine manufacturing, integration of the various stages, and launcher integration in French Guiana. ArianeGroup delivers a flight-ready launcher on the launch pad to its subsidiary Arianespace, which operates the flight from lift-off, on behalf of its customers.
Ariane 5 is a programme of the European Space Agency (ESA), carried out in cooperation between public institutions and industry. Marketed and operated by Arianespace, the Ariane 5 launches take place from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, with the support of teams from the French space agency CNES.
