Arianespace received a contract to launch the Helios 2B military reconnaissance satellite in the first half of 2009, Arianespace announced Sept. 25.

Helios 2B is part of a second-generation defense and security observation system being developed by France in collaboration with Belgium, Spain and Italy. The program is managed by the French defense procurement agency, the Délégation Générale pour l’Armement (DGA), part of the Ministry of Defense. The DGA assigned responsibility for the space segment to the French space agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES).

Astrium is the prime contractor for Helios 2B and also built Helios 2A, the first satellite in the system, which Arianespace placed into orbit in December 2004.