MISSION NAME
Eutelsat W1 1
Status
Success
DATE
6 SEP 2000
LAUNCH PROVIDER
Arianespace
Launch Pad
Ariane Launch Area 2
Description
Originally ordered by Orion Network Systems as Orion 2, the contract was later terminated. It was then bought by Eutelsat as spare satellite, called RESSAT, which was later renamed Eutelsat W1 as a replacement satellite compatible with their previously-launched W2 and W3 spacecraft. Eutelsat subsequently decided to launch W1 in September 2000. Located at the 10 degrees East position, the satellite serves a full range of applications that include that include business communications, Internet-based services and television transmission. It has 28 channels, 20 of which provide coverage of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and central Asia via a fixed widebeam, with the remaining eight connected to a steerable spotbeam, to address new markets in geographical areas outside the widebeam coverage area (notably southern Africa). Services can be simultaneously provided within both coverages.
Ariane 44P
Rocket Description
The Ariane 4 was an expendable space launch system, developed by the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), the French space agency, for the European Space Agency (ESA). It was manufactured by ArianeGroup and marketed by Arianespace. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the final flight on 15 February 2003, it attained 113 successful launches out of 116 total launches.