EADS Astrium Ltd. has chosen Arianespace to launch the British Ministry of Defense's Skynet 5A and Skynet 5B military communications satellites.

Colin Paynter, Managing Director of EADS Astrium Ltd., and Jean-Yves Le Gall, CEO of Arianespace, today announced the signature of two launch contracts, for the Skynet 5A and 5B satellites.

These two satellites will be boosted into geostationary transfer orbit by Ariane 5 launchers from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Launches are scheduled for the second half of 2006 and the second half of 2007.

Skynet 5A and 5B, secure high-speed communications
Skynet 5A and 5B will be launched by Arianespace on behalf of EADS Astrium, which in turn will deliver the satellites in orbit to the commercial organisation Paradigm Secure Communications. Paradigm is contracted to provide secure communications services for the British armed forces, NATO and a number of other countries.

The Skynet 5 satellites, built by EADS Astrium, will weigh approximately 4,700 kilograms at launch.

Europe's Ariane launcher has already orbited the Skynet 4B, 4C, 4E and 4F satellites for the British Ministry of Defense.

Ariane 5, supporting defense and security
The Ariane 5 launcher is key to the development of a common European defense and security policy, for which the space segment is essential. Skynet 5A and 5B are the 24th and 25th military payloads entrusted to the European launch vehicle.

Arianespace to launch Pleiades satellites
French space agency CNES has awarded Arianespace a launch contract for two Pleiades Earth observation satellites.

The two Pleiades satellites will be placed in heliosynchronous orbit by Soyuz launchers from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The first satellite is to be launched in 2008 and the second in 2009.

Successors to Spot satellites
The Pleiades satellites comprise the high-resolution optical imaging component in the Franco-Italian Orfeo system. Italy is supplying the radar component. The satellites will perform both civil and military missions, providing continuity with the services available via the Spot satellites.

EADS Astrium is prime contractor and platform manufacturer for the satellites, which weigh about one metric ton each. Alcatel Space will supply the high-resolution and image telemetry systems. The size, image resolution, orbital agility and ground transmission capabilities of the Pleiades satellites represent a significant technological advance.

Arianespace to launch Corot satellite
French space agency CNES has awarded Arianespace a launch contract for the Corot stellar observation satellite.

The Corot satellite is a veritable space observatory designed to study stars and search for new planets. With a payload of 630 kg, the satellite will be launched by the maiden flight of the Soyuz 2-1b launch vehicle in mid-2006 from the Baikonur cosmodrome. This launch is part of the Guiana Space Center (CSG) Soyuz program and will be executed under the responsibility of Arianespace. For launch operations Arianespace will draw on Starsem expertise.

Corot, a world first in astronomy
This scientific mission will mark a world first, with two missions: study the internal structure of stars and detect plants outside our solar system.

The Corot satellite uses the Proteus multimission platform built by Alcatel Space. Corot will placed into a polar orbit at an altitude of 850 kilometers.