Arianespace to Launch Astra 2E as Part of SES Multi-Launch Agreement

[Satellite TODAY Insider 04-14-11] SES selected Arianespace to launch the Astra 2E satellite in the 2013 second quarter as part of SES’s multi-launch agreement with Arianespace, the companies announced April 13.
    Astra 2E satellite will be built by Astrium on a Eurostar E3000 platform and carry Ku-band and Ka-band transponders. The satellite will be positioned at 28.2 degrees East to deliver high-power broadcast services across all of Europe and Africa.
    The launch of Astra 2E is part of a larger fleet replacement and expansion program that also includes the Astra 2F, Astra 2G and Astra 5B satellites, which are scheduled to reach orbit between 2012 and 2014.
    The deal also can be seen as positive news for Arianespace, as its faces growing pressure in the launch market from satellite operators that would like to see launch prices drop. SES has shown with its deal with SpaceX to launch that SES-8 satellite that the satellite operator could seek launch providers other than Arianespace and International Launch Services, which have dominated the market for years, if the prices are low enough. Michele Franci, senior vice president, Planning and Procurement, SES Engineering, recently told Via Satellite that SES would like to see more competition in this part of the market. "The issue is not so much whether they (launch service prices) are too expensive or not expensive. The real issue right now is that the market is very limited. It is a seller’s market, so the prices of launch services move in an erratic way and we don’t really have good control of it," he said. "The lack of competition in launch services is obviously a big factor. If you look today at the costs of a satellite program, the launch services part is very important. It can make or break a business opportunity. So, in that sense, they are expensive."
    Despite increased competition, Arianespace is likely to retain a strong position in the market due to the reliability of the Ariane 5, which has a very strong track record. "It is unlikely that Arianespace’s reliability and performance will be matched by any other operators which will ensure that they get the ‘cream of the crop.’ SpaceX may build its reliability and thus reputation by first attracting U.S. government contracts and small companies looking for ‘cheap’ launches, while Sea Launch will struggle to get back into the mainstream and will probably resort to dropping prices," Prashant Butani, a satellite analyst at NSR, said.
    In other SES news, SES World Skies announced on April 12 a capacity agreement with Weigel Broadcasting to deliver the new digital ME TV channel to broadcast stations and viewers across the United States. As part of the C-band deal on SES World Skies’ AMC-3 satellite, Weigel will distribute TV classics from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s affiliates that cover more than 45 percent of U.S. TV households.

Latest News

Arianespace to Launch Astra 2E as Part of SES Multi-Launch Agreement

Related Stories-