On Wednesday, December 19, 2012, Arianespace successfully carried out the 53rd Ariane 5 launch in a row, orbiting two payloads: the Skynet 5D military communications satellite for Astrium Services, on behalf of the British Ministry of Defence, and the Mexsat Bicentenario telecommunications satellite for the Mexican Secretariat of Communications and Transport.

Arianespace Flight / Skynet 5D and Mexsat Bicentenario satellites

Arianespace was founded in 1980 as the world’s first satellite launch company. Today, it has 21 shareholders from 10 European countries (including CNES with 34%, Astrium with 30% and all European companies participating in the Ariane 5 programme). Since its creation, Arianespace has signed contracts with 78 customers and launched with Ariane launchers 298 payloads, accounting for more than half of the commercial satellites now in service worldwide.

Share Arianespace Flight / Skynet 5D and Mexsat Bicentenario satellites

Sign up to save your podcasts

Arianespace Flight / Skynet 5D and Mexsat Bicentenario satellites

Arianespace Flight / Skynet 5D and Mexsat Bicentenario satellites