International Launch Services (ILS) said it signed a contract with Eutelsat SA for the launch of Eutelsat’s Hot Bird satellite in the first quarter of 2006. The contract was negotiated and signed in the framework of Eutelsat’s strategy of contracting with different satellite and launch services suppliers in order to ensure timely delivery of replacement capacity in orbit at its Hot Bird video neighborhood. The satellite will be carried into orbit on a Proton/Breeze M launch vehicle. Financial terms of the launch were not disclosed.

“It is important for our company’s business plan to bring new Hot Bird capacity into service in early 2006 in order to enhance security of our satellite system and to replace Hot Bird 1,” Eutelsat CEO Giuliano Berretta said in a prepared statement.

In other news, ILS said it received authorization from the U.S. Air Force to begin operations for the launch of a national security payload on an Atlas 5 vehicle in mid- 2007 from Cape Canaveral, FL. The mission will use the “401” configuration, with a 4-meter payload fairing, an Atlas Common Core Booster with no solid rocket motors and a single engine Centaur upper stage. The company said details about the payload are classified.