Arianespace’s heavy-lift vehicle Ariane 5 has placed telecommunications satellites Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO), GSAT-16 and DIRECTV’s DIRECTV-14, into geostationary transfer orbit.
Designated as Flight VA221, the mission delivered a total payload lift of around 10,200kg.
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The satellites were launched from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana.
Nearly 28 minutes after lift-off, the DIRECTV-14 spacecraft separated from Ariane 5 and was deployed first in the flight sequence and the co-passenger GSAT-16 was deployed four minutes later.
Arianespace chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël said: "This dual mission to geostationary transfer orbit is the very symbol of Arianespace’s capacity to address the entire span of satellite communications operators."
Planned to be operated from 99° west, the 20kW DIRECTV-14 is a Ka-band and reverse-band digital broadcast satellite built on the Space Systems/Loral (SSL) 1300 spacecraft platform and weighs 6,300kg.
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By GlobalDataIt is designed to offer Ultra HD and other new consumer services across the US, including Hawaii and Alaska and Puerto Rico.
Israël said: "Arianespace and DIRECTV started their cooperation 21 years ago and met with many successes together.
"With three more DIRECTV satellites lining up in our order book, this win-win relationship will enable to meet with many more in the future."
Weighing 3,180kg, the GSAT-16 carries Ku- and C-band transponders. It will operate from an orbital position of 55° east.
ISRO satellite centre director Shivakumar said that ISRO will launch GSAT-15 on another Ariane 5 in the next year.
"And we do hope in the years to come that many more opportunities to work together will exist for us," Shivakumar said.
Image: Ariane 5 lofted with DIRECTV-14 and GSAT-16 satellite payloads from the Spaceport’s ELA-3 launch zone. Photo: courtesy of Arianespace.
