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Pair of Boeing Satellites Orbited by Single Ariane 4 Rocket
By Jim Banke
Senior Producer,
posted: 09:30 pm ET
28 March 2002
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- It was another launch that touched nearly the entire planet. A pair of satellites built in the United States were sent into space Thursday from South America, riding atop a European-built rocket for customers in Japan, East Asia, Oceania and Hawaii, as well as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Everything worked as planned beginning with the 8:29 p.m. EST (0129 GMT) liftoff from the Guiana Space Center of an Ariane 4 rocket equipped with four liquid-fueled strap-on boosters. Less than 27 minutes later both of the Boeing Satellite Systems-built spacecraft had separated from the rocket's third stage, with JCSAT 8 deploying first followed minutes later by ASTRA 3A. "I can tell you how happy I am after seeing this picture-perfect sequence of events," said Jean-Yves LeGall, Arianespace's chief operating officer. JCSAT 8 -- also known as JCSAT 2A in some company references -- will be operated by JSAT Corporation of Tokyo and provide a broad range of telecommunications services using 16 Ku-band and 16 C-band transponders. The spacecraft will replace JCSAT 2, which was launched by a Commercial Titan 3 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Jan. 1, 1990. ASTRA 3A will be operated by SES ASTRA of Luxembourg and offer German-speaking customers high-power, direct-to-home broadcast services usings its 20 Ku-band transponders. The satellite-delivery mission was the 110th for the Ariane 4 family of boosters and marked the first time in six years that a pair of spacecraft built by Boeing were orbited atop the same rocket. "We look forward to coming here for more dual launches," said Arturo Rosales, a Boeing vice president. "I wish both our customers much success." Six more Ariane 4 launches are planned by the European commercial launch firm before Arianespace retires the booster in favor of the more powerful and more modern Ariane 5. Arianespace officials noted that it was four weeks to the day since the Ariane 5 returned to flight following a botched launch the previous July. Having analyzed all of the post-flight data, managers said the Ariane 5 was working fine once again. "We are definitely back to business with this launch vehicle," LeGall said. With the successful flight on Thursday, Arianespace has sent 198 satellites and 38 auxiliary payloads into orbit. And out of the 244 launch service contracts won by Arianespace since 1981, the company still has 37 satellites to launch, as well as nine supply missions to the International Space Station. The next Arianespace shot is expected April 16 when an Ariane 4 is to launch the NSS-7 telecommunications satellite.
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