In one of its heaviest ever launches, two major communications satellites were launched by Ariane 5 ECA at 2034 GMT on 20 August 2015 from the Kourou launch site in French Guiana (flight VA225). Including the adaptors, the launch pushed to total payload carried to 9,922 kg. The Eutelsat 8 West B was built by Thales Alenia Space using its Spacebus 4000C3 bus design. The 5,782kg spacecraft will provide services from the 8 degree West position in the GEO arc, including 40 Ku-band transponders to provide DTH services to Middle East and North Africa and 10 C-band transponders to provide DTH services to Africa and South America.
The Intelsat 34 is a communications satellite built by Space Systems Loral using its SSL-1300 (LS-1300) bus. The 3,300kg satellite will use SPT-100 electric propulsion thrusters. With 22 C-band and 18 Ku-band transponders, the spacecraft will operate from 55.5 degrees West in the GEO arc. The launch achieved the orbital parameters at injection of the launch vehicle’s cryogenic upper stage: – Perigee: 250.0 km for a target of 250.0 km; Apogee: 35,920 km for a target of 35,914 km; Inclination: 4.70 degrees for a target of 4.70 degrees.
