EUTELSAT W1 ENJOYS GOOD LAUNCH

Eutelsat’s W1 satellite was successfully launched by Ariane V132. The Ariane 44P rocket, delivered by Arianespace, took off from Kourou, French Guyana. Control of the satellite by CNES in Toulouse was confirmed within four minutes of spacecraft separation.

W1 will go into commercial service next month at 10 degrees East and deliver TV broadcast, Internet and data services throughout Europe and southern Africa. “Built by Astrium, W1 is a long awaited satellite of strategic importance to an orbital slot that already hosts many valuable networks and where there is clear market demand for increased bandwidth and broader reach,” said Eutelsat. “Its 28 Ku-band transponders will assume the traffic currently managed at 10 degrees East by the sixteen transponders on Eutelsat II-F4, and thereby enable a significant increase in business in Europe and open new business opportunities in Africa.”

With its coverage of southern Africa, W1 will also be the third satellite to take Eutelsat into the southern hemisphere, supporting the strategy of international expansion that kicked off with W2 in October 1998, and that went a step further with W4 that was launched earlier this year. Following the launch, Eutelsat and Arianespace signed a contract for the launch of two new satellites. With the launch of W1, Eutelsat has 18 Ku-band satellites in orbit. Five new satellites are under construction and due for launch by the first quarter of 2002. Eutelsat’s W1 satellite was successfully launched by Ariane V132. The Ariane 44P rocket, delivered by Arianespace, took off from Kourou, French Guyana. Control of the satellite by CNES in Toulouse was confirmed within four minutes of spacecraft separation.

W1 will go into commercial service next month at 10 degrees East and deliver TV broadcast, Internet and data services throughout Europe and southern Africa. “Built by Astrium, W1 is a long awaited satellite of strategic importance to an orbital slot that already hosts many valuable networks and where there is clear market demand for increased bandwidth and broader reach,” said Eutelsat. “Its 28 Ku-band transponders will assume the traffic currently managed at 10 degrees East by the sixteen transponders on Eutelsat II-F4, and thereby enable a significant increase in business in Europe and open new business opportunities in Africa.”

With its coverage of southern Africa, W1 will also be the third satellite to take Eutelsat into the southern hemisphere, supporting the strategy of international expansion that kicked off with W2 in October 1998, and that went a step further with W4 that was launched earlier this year. Following the launch, Eutelsat and Arianespace signed a contract for the launch of two new satellites. With the launch of W1, Eutelsat has 18 Ku-band satellites in orbit. Five new satellites are under construction and due for launch by the first quarter of 2002.