Arianespace and Eutelsat have confirmed that EUTELSAT 10B, Eutelsat’s next generation high-throughput telecommunications satellite, will be launched on an Ariane 5 rocket. EUTELSAT 10B is scheduled for launch in 2022 on one of eight Ariane 5 missions remaining to be performed with the heavy-lift launcher.
Arianespace, the European launch services provider, has confirmed that it will launch a new satellite – EUTELSAT 10B – for Eutelsat, one of the world’s leading satellite operators. The launch is scheduled from the Guiana Space Centre on an Ariane 5 in 2022.
EUTELSAT 10B is a telecommunications satellite to be positioned at the 10° East orbital position, offering unique visibility spanning from the Americas to Asia. Built by Thales Alenia Space and based on its Spacebus NEO all-electric platform, it will embark Ku- and C-band payloads to ensure service continuity for existing customers on EUTELSAT 10A, while supporting the development of the Eutelsat Group’s activities in mobile connectivity thanks to two incremental multi-beam HTS Ku-band payloads.
Pascal Homsy, Eutelsat’s Chief Technical Officer, said: “We are pleased to entrust the launch of EUTELSAT 10B to our long-standing partner, Arianespace, further cementing the relationship between our two companies and reflecting our confidence in Ariane 5 providing us with access to space.”
“We are honored by Eutelsat’s renewed trust in Arianespace’s launch services solutions,” said Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace. “Not only does this contract illustrate the long-lasting partnership between our two companies and the robustness of our relationship, it also demonstrates the competitiveness of Ariane 5 within the demanding market of geostationary telecommunications satellites. With this latest announcement, Ariane 5 has secured almost all its final series of launches, in advance of the handover to Ariane 6 with the same success.”