Arianespace tonight launched telecommunications satellites for Brazil and Vietnam on the 24th consecutive mission success of Ariane 5 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA deployed Star One C2 and VINASAT-1 into geostationary transfer orbit during a 31-minute mission, which began with an on-time liftoff from the Spaceport’s ELA-3 launch zone at 7:17 p.m. local time. This is the second of seven flights planned in 2008 with the workhorse Ariane 5 as Arianespace delivers on its Service & Solutions commitment to the company’s international customers. During tonight’s flight, Star One C2 rode as the upper passenger in Ariane 5’s payload “stack,” and was deployed approximately 26 minutes after liftoff. Built by Europe's Thales Alenia Space, the 4,100-kg. spacecraft will be used by Brazilian telecommunications operator Star One. It carries a payload of 28 C-band transponders, 16 Ku-band transponders and 1 X-band transponder, and will provide telecommunications, multimedia and Internet services over South America from an orbital position of 70 deg. West. VINASAT-1 was the lower passenger on Ariane 5, with its deployment occurring 31 minutes into the mission. Manufactured in the U.S. by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, it will become Vietnam's first telecommunications satellite – operated by the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group. The 2,600-kg.VINASAT-1 is configured with a payload of 12 Ku-band and 8 C-band transponders for radio, television and telephone transmission services over all of Vietnam and the Asia Pacific region. Its final geostationary orbit position will be 132 deg. East.
