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[b]Arianespace delivers! EUTELSAT 25B/Es'hail 1 and GSAT-7 are orbited by Ariane 5[/b] Today marked another mission accomplished for Arianespace's heavy-lift workhorse as it deployed the EUTELSAT 25B/Es'hail 1 and GSAT-7 spacecraft from the Spaceport in French Guiana – on what is the 57th consecutive success for Ariane 5. Following an impressive liftoff from the ELA-3 launch zone at 5:30 p.m. local time, both satellites were deployed into geostationary transfer orbit, with EUTELSAT 25B/Es'hail 1 released nearly 28 minutes after liftoff, and GSAT-7 separating approximately six minutes later to complete the flight sequence. Ariane 5 delivered a total liftoff performance of 9,790 kg., including its two payloads and hardware for the launcher's dual-payload deployment system. Today's mission represents the 215th launch of an Ariane-series vehicle, as well as the 71st liftoff for Ariane 5. [b]Arianespace is committed to its customers[/b] Ariane Flight VA215 underscored the continued successful relationship with Arianespace and two long-standing partners, while also marking the start-up with another. India's national Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) space agency, which developed GSAT-7, has a long history of launching payloads with Arianespace – dating back to the third mission of an Ariane-series vehicle in 1981. Arianespace now has launched 17 satellites for ISRO, including INSAT-3D, which was a co-passenger on last month's Ariane Flight VA214. For European telecommunications operator Eutelsat Communications, this launch continues a more than 30-year relationship with Arianespace, as EUTELSAT 25B/Es'hail is the 27th satellite launched for this longtime customer. [b]A historic first for Qatar[/b] In addition, EUTELSAT 25B/Es'hail 1 – a ground-breaking partnership between Eutelsat and the Doha-based Es'hailSat, the Qatar Satellite Company – marked a historic moment for the Qatari operator: the first satellite of its planned global fleet. Operating from a position of 25.5 deg. East, EUTELSAT 25B/Es'hail 1, will provide coverage of the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia for both Eutelsat and Es'hailSat, delivering Ku-band television broadcasting, telecommunications and government services for this area, while its Ka-band capability will open new business opportunities for the two operators. Built by Space Systems/Loral (SSL), EUTELSAT 25B/Es'hail had a liftoff mass of approximately 6,300 kg., located in the upper position of Ariane 5's payload "stack." It is based on the SSL 1300 bus with a design life of 15 years or more. Riding as the lower passenger with a liftoff mass of 2,650 kg., GSAT-7 was deployed 34 minutes after liftoff to complete Ariane 5's mission. The spacecraft developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation is based on India's I-2K spacecraft bus and will provide relay capacity in UHF, S-band, C-band and Ku-band from 74 deg. East longitude for the Indian subcontinent, during its design life of seven years. [b]Continuing the commercial pace[/b] To date, Arianespace has lofted 20 payloads in 2013 on seven missions across its entire family. Ariane 5 has carried seven satellites into orbit on its four missions this year, with a combined total liftoff performance of more than 50,000 kg. The medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega have been active as well, with one mission each from the Spaceport, in addition to a Soyuz flight from the Baikonur Cosmodrome conducted by Arianespace's Starsem affiliate. Arianespace's next launch is targeted for this fall, a Soyuz flight to orbit the second batch of four O3b Networks' spacecraft, following the initial four that Arianespace lofted on Soyuz flight VS05 in late June.
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