MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti) – Arianespace has successfully launched two telecommunications satellites from French Guiana, the French space transportation company has reported.

The Ariane 5 launch orbited the Amazonas 3 and Azerspace/Africasat-1a telecommunications platforms, delivering a total calculated mass of 10,317 kilograms into geostationary transfer orbit, according to Arianespace.

The mass included 9,503 kg for the two spacecraft, along with the dispenser system and integration hardware in Ariane 5’s dual payload “stack.”

Amazonas 3 was orbited for Spanish operator Hispasat, and Azerspace/Africasat-1a for Azerbaijani operator Azercosmos and the Azerbaijani Communications Ministry.

The Spanish satellite was produced by Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto, California, and is to operate from a 61 deg. West longitude orbital slot. It is equipped with 33 Ku-band and 19 C-band transponders, along with nine Ka-band spot beams.

Amazonas 3 is expected to provide telecommunications relay services, including direct-to-home television (DTH), corporate fixed and mobile telephone networks, and broadband capacity with coverage across the Americas, Europe, and North Africa, Arianespace said.

Azerspace/Africasat-1a was Azerbaijan’s first national satellite launched by Arianespace. The comsat has 24 C-band transponders and 12 Ku-band transponders for communications coverage over Azerbaijan, Central Asia, Europe and Africa from an orbital location of 46 deg. East longitude.

Photo: Arianespace