Arianespace to launch Hellas Sat 3 and GSAT-17 on June 28

Arianespace to launch on June 28 Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN for Inmarsat and Hellas Sat; and GSAT-17 for the Indian Space Agency ISRO

For its seventh launch of the year, and the fourth Ariane 5 mission in 2017 from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, Arianespace will orbit two payloads: Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN, a “condosat” for Inmarsat and Hellas Sat; and GSAT-17 for the Indian space agency ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization).

With this 290th mission performed by its family of launchers, Arianespace is at the service of three major satellites operators: Hellas Sat, Inmarsat and ISRO.

The launch will be from Ariane Launch Complex No. 3 (ELA 3) in Kourou, French Guiana.

The Launch Readiness Review (LRR) will take place on Monday, June 26, 2017 in Kourou, to authorize the start of operations for the final countdown.

Arianespace will orbit Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN, a “condosat” for Hellas Sat and Inmarsat.

Its Hellas Sat 3 payload, the second Hellas Sat satellite, will deliver DTH (direct-to-home) and telecom services maintaining and expanding Hellas Sat business reach.

Hellas Sat (member of the Arabsat Group) is a premium satellite operator, offering services in Europe, the Middle East and South Africa from the orbital position of 39 East. It was established in August 2001 and owns and operates the Hellas Sat 2 high-power satellite.

Hellas Sat 3 will deliver in-orbit back-up DTH and telecom services in its designated coverage areas, maintaining and expanding Hellas Sat business reach with additional capacity and bringing video content in High Definition and Ultra High Definition format to the covered regions. The FSS/BSS coverage zones are Europe, the Middle East and Sub Saharan African countries, including a cross-trap service between Europe and South Africa.

The Inmarsat S EAN (European Aviation Network) payload is the ninth Inmarsat satellite to be launched by Arianespace.

Inmarsat is the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services. Since 1979, Inmarsat has been providing reliable voice and high-speed data communications to governments, enterprises and other organizations, with a range of services that can be used on land, at sea or in the air.

The most advanced aviation passenger Wi-Fi experience anywhere in the world and provide Europe’s aviation industry with an opportunity to build global leadership in aviation passenger Wi-Fi.

Inmarsat S EAN, the satellite component of the new network, will be placed into geostationary orbit over Europe, providing continent-wide S-band connectivity.

Built by Thales Alenia Space in Cannes, France using a Spacebus 4000C4 platform, Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN will be the 149th Thales Alenia Space satellite to be orbited by Arianespace.

GSAT-17 will be the 21st satellite from ISRO to be launched by Arianespace.

Since the launch of the Apple experimental satellite on Ariane Flight L03 in 1981, Arianespace has won 87% of the geostationary orbit launch contracts that the country has opened to non-Indian launch systems.

Built by ISRO, GSAT‑17 will strengthen ISRO’s current fleet of 17 operational telecom satellites. It will provide continuity of Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) in Normal C and Upper Extended C bands.

It also will provide Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) in S-band and Data Relay and Search & Rescue services in UHF band.