For its third flight of 2020, Arianespace will orbit two telecommunications satellites using an Ariane 5 launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center: JCSAT-17 for the Japanese operator SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation; and GEO-KOMPSAT-2B for Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).
With this mission dedicated to space applications for telecommunications and environment monitoring, Arianespace once again contributes to the improvement of life on Earth. Flight VA252 will be performed from Ariane Launch Complex No. 3 (ELA 3) in Kourou, French Guiana. The Launch Readiness Review (LRR) will take place on Friday, February 14, 2020 in Kourou to authorize the start of operations for the final countdown.
JCSAT-17 will be the 21st SKY Perfect JSAT satellite to be launched by Arianespace. This geostationary communications satellite will deliver flexible, high-bandwidth communications to users in Japan and the surrounding region. JCSAT-17 payloads incorporates S-band, C-band and Ku-band transponders, which will provide satellite communication services. The S-band and C-band transponders will serve NTT DOCOMO, Inc., the largest telecommunications company in Japan, for its flexible mobile communications services in Japan and the surrounding region under IRU contract (Indefeasible Right of Use). SKY Perfect JSAT will support NTT DOCOMO’s satellite communication services. JCSAT-17 will also be the 32nd satellite launched by Arianespace for Japan. Built by Lockheed Martin Space, JCSAT-17 will be the 47th satellite made by this manufacturer to be launched by Arianespace. GEO-KOMPSAT-2B will be KARI’s second satellite as a manufacturer – and its third as a client – to be launched by Arianespace. The GEO-KOMPSAT-2 program is a national program of the Korean government to develop and operate two civilian geostationary satellites: GEO-KOMPSAT-2A for meteorological and space weather monitoring missions; and GEO-KOMPSAT-2B for Earth environment monitoring and ocean monitoring missions. The GEO-KOMPSAT 2 program also ensures the succession for the COMS program (Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite). The predecessor satellite, GEO-KOMPSAT-2A, was successfully launched by Arianespace in December 2018. The satellite carries two main payloads: GOCI II (Geostationary Ocean Color Imager II), provided by Airbus Defence and Space; and the GEMS (Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer), provided by Ball Aerospace & Technologies. GEO-KOMPSAT-2B will be the eighth satellite launched by Arianespace for South Korea. For further information, download the Flight VA252 Launch Kit by clicking here: http://www.arianespace.com/press-kits/ To watch a live, high-speed online transmission of the launch (including commentary in French and English from the launch site), go to arianespace.com or to youtube.com/arianespace on February 18, 2020, beginning 15 minutes before liftoff.