At 2156 GMT on 29 September 2017, a delayed Ariane 5 ECA launch lifted off over the Kourou launch site in French Guiana. Aboard were the commercial communications satellites INTELSAT 37e and BSAT 4A.
Ariane 5 ECA makes successful lift off carrying Intelsat 37e and BSAT 4A. Courtesy: Arianespace/P Baudon
The 6,300 kg INTELSAT 37e is a High throughput satellite offering communications in North and South America and over the North Atlantic on behalf of its owner and operator Intelsat. The spacecraft was built by Boeing Satellite Systems.
The 3,500 kg communications satellite BSAT-4a which was built by SSL (Space Systems/Loral) and is owned and operated by B-SAT – Broadcasting Satellite Systems Corp to provide digital broadcast services in Japan.
The original launch attempt on 5th September ended with a launch abort seconds before lift off and after the main cryogenic engine had already been ignited. The abort stopped the solid rocket boosters from igniting and ordered the cryogenic engine to be shut down. A preliminary investigation has found that the detection of an electrical issue in one of the Solid Rocket Boosters caused the computerised count down and ignition sequence to be stopped. The faulty component which caused the abort was replaced before this flight.
