The sixth Ariane 5 flight of 2009 marked another success for this heavy-lift launcher today, carrying the first satellite launched by Arianespace for Telenor Satellite Broadcasting AS – THOR 6, along with the 32nd spacecraft from the SES group of companies entrusted for an Ariane launch – NSS-12. Lifting off on time at 5:00 p.m. from the Spaceport in French Guiana, the Ariane 5 deployed the two television broadcast satellites during a mission lasting 31 minutes. It was the 48th flight of an Ariane 5 and its 34th success in a row. "This latest success confirms that Ariane 5 is the commercial market’s only operational launcher capable of simultaneously launching two large direct television broadcast satellites,” said Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall. “It also confirms that Arianespace is the only launch services company capable of orbiting four commercial satellites in four weeks – which I also think is a new record." Ariane 5’s payload lift performance for the daytime flight was a total of 9,515 kg., which included a combined total of approximately 8,700 kg. for the NSS-12 and THOR 6 spacecraft, plus the launch vehicle’s dual-passenger dispenser system and satellite integration hardware. The launcher provided another accurate delivery, with the following provisional parameters at the injection of Ariane 5’s cryogenic upper stage: Perigee: 250.1 km. for a target of 249.8 km. Apogee 35,961 km. for a target of 35,947 km. Inclination: 5.98 deg. for a target of 6.00 deg. Today’s launch continues the Ariane 5’s sustained mission pace and keeps the company on track for a total of seven missions planned this year. With the six flights already performed since February, the workhorse launcher has placed approximately 42,670 kg. in orbit. The previous missions of 2009 were performed on October 1 with the Amazonas 2 and COMSATBw-1 satellites; on August 21 with JCSAT-12 and Optus D3; on July 1 with TerreStar-1; on May 14 with Herschel and Planck; and on February 12 with the HOT BIRD™ 10 and NSS-9 satellites, along with two Spirale auxiliary passengers. Arianespace’s next mission is planned for early December with the Helios 2B French military reconnaissance satellite, marking Ariane 5’s final flight of this year.
