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VA-238
June 28, 2017
Payload
For its fourth launch of the year and the third in just two months, Ariane 5 successfully completed its 80th consecutive successful mission, placing two telecommunications satellites in geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) from the European space port of Kourou (French Guiana). The launch performance was 9,256 kg net mass for the satellites, or a gross mass of 10,136 kg (including the ACU [payload adapters], the SYLDA [Ariane dual launch system) and the LVA 3936 [Launch Vehicle Adaptor]).
The launcher continuous improvement program enabled the use of an optimized GTO orbit, with an inclination reduced to 3° in order to minimize the energy required for the satellites to reach their final orbit.
This continuous improvement of Ariane 5 contributes both to performance and the containment of production costs, and directly benefits the future Ariane 6, scheduled for its first flight in 2020.
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