NEXT ARIANE 5 MISSION TO LAUNCH SES-17 AND SYRACUSE 4A SATELLITES

On the night of Friday 22 and Saturday 23 October, Ariane 5, operated by Arianespace, will be sent aloft from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG), Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, to orbit two telecommunications satellites built by Thales Alenia Space: SES-17, operated by SES, and Syracuse 4A for the Ministry of Armed Forces. This will be Ariane 5’s 111th flight, its second in 2021 and the fourth launch of the year from the CSG. It will also be the 255th flight in the Ariane series.

With a launch mass of 6,411 kilograms, SES-17 is a telecommunications satellite designed to revolutionize aviation connectivity and accelerate digital inclusion initiatives. The power of its almost 200 spot beams can be dynamically adjusted as customers’ requirements evolve. It will offer excellent coverage over the Americas, the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean. The satellite has an expected lifetime of 15 years.

With a launch mass of 3,852 kilograms, Syracuse 4A is a military telecommunications satellite that will enable French armed forces to stay connected in the field. At sea, in the air or on land, the military need secure and powerful communications to exchange information with their command centre. Thanks to its state-of-the-art anti-jamming antenna and digital transparent processor, Syracuse 4A will be fully protected against extreme jamming methods. The satellite will serve France’s sovereignty as well as supporting NATO and European-led operations. It has an expected lifetime of 15 years.

The launch of Ariane 5 will be carried live on
https://ariane5.cnes.fr/en/live-ariane-5-launch-va255 via YouTube

CONTACTS
Olivia Baumann     Press Officer     Tel. +33 (0)1 44 76 76 59    olivia.baumann@cnes.fr
Pascale Bresson     Press Officer     Tel: +33 (0)1 44 76 75 39    pascale.bresson@cnes.fr
Raphaël Sart    Head of Media    Tel: +33 (0)1 44 76 74 51    raphael.sart@cnes.fr