Arianespace kicked off its 2006 launch calendar with an Ariane 5 ECA placing a pair telecommunications satellites in orbit March 11. The Spainsat governmental telecommunications spacecraft and the Eutelsat Hot Bird 7A television broadcast platform were injected into geostationary transfer orbit.

The Space Systems/Loral-built Spainsat is the first Spanish satellite dedicated to secure government communications and will be operated by Hisdesat. The spacecraft carries 13 X-band transponders and a specially designed Ka-band payload to provide services to the Spanish Ministry of Defense. It will operate from an orbital slot of 30 degrees West and has a specified service life of 15 years.

Hot Bird 7A was the 21st satellite orbited by Arianespace for Europe’s Eutelsat telecommunications operator. The spacecraft, built by Alcatel Alenia Space, will be located at an orbital slot of 13 degrees East and carries 38 Ku-band transponders.