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TS News - Ariane Launches Italian, French Satellites

TELE-satellit News, 12 August 1996

Ariane Launches Italian, French Satellites
  KOUROU, French Guiana, 96/08/12 (TS) -- On August 8 Arianespace
successfully launched two telecommunications satellites: ITALSAT F2 for
Telecom Italia and TELECOM 2D for France Telecom and the French Ministry of
Defense's DGA arms-procurement agency.

  Flight 90 was carried out by an Ariane 44L, the most powerful version of
the European launcher, equipped with four liquid-propellant strap-on
boosters. This was the 61st of 86 Ariane 4 launch vehicles ordered from the
European space industry.

  Liftoff from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana took place on
Thursday, August 8 at 1949 local time, 1849 EDT, 2249 UTC, 0049 CET.

  Developed by Alenia Spazio for the Italian Space Agency (ISA), ITALSAT F2
is Italy's second telecommunications satellite. It is equipped with 9
Ka-band transponders with a design life greater than seven years.  ITALSAT
F2 will round out the services offered by Italsat Fl from Telecom Italia:
telephony, data transmission and digital TV broadcasting.  Aside from its
main payload, ITALSAT F2 will carry the EMS (European Mobile Services)
mission dedicated to terrestrial mobile communications for the European
Space Agency.

  TELECOM 2D, France Telecom's seventh satellite, is also the seventh
launched by Arianespace, starting with TELECOM 1A, placed into orbit by
Flight 10 on August 7, 1984.  Built by Matra Marconi Space and Alcatel
Espace in Toulouse (Southwest France), it has a design life of more than 10
years.  Telecom 2D is equipped with 10 C-band transponders, 5 X-band
transponders and 11 Ku-band transponders. Positioned over the Gulf of Guinea
(Atlantic Ocean), it will provide telephone links, TV program transmission,
and business communications, both in France and between France and French
overseas departments.  TELECOM 2D will also ensure French armed forces and
government communications.

  The next launch, Flight 91, is scheduled for September 10.  An Ariane 42P
launch vehicle will be used to place into orbit the ECHOSTAR II direct
broadcast satellite for the Denver-based American firm, Echostar. Following
Flight 90, Arianespace's backlog now stands at 42 satellites to be launched.


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