An Ariane 44LP booster is in the final preparations for the French space launch company's inaugural launch of 1998. Blast-off of the Hughes-made Brazilsat B-3 is currently set for 8:29pm local time in Kourou French Guiana, or 6:29pm Eastern time.
The satellite is based on a Hughes' HS-376 design, and will provide voice,
data, and corporate telecommunications from geostationary space. Two
earlier Brazilsats were also lifted to orbit aboard Ariane 4 rockets. The
Brazilsat B-1 was launched on Aug. 10, 1994 and the B2 launched March 28,
1995. Both were successful. The satellite arrived at the seaside launch
site just four days before launch.
This mission kicks off a busy 1998 schedule with as many as 16 Hughes spacecraft to be launched for commercial and government customers from four sites around the world.
Brasilsat B-3 is an HS 376W spin-stabilized communications satellite, similar to the HSC-built Brasilsat B-1 and B-2 spacecraft now in orbit. EMBRATEL, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's leading telecommunications company, operates the satellites. Promon Engenharia SA of Sao Paulo, Brazil, shared in the ground station engineering work.
Like the other spacecraft, Brasilsat B-3 is a general communications satellite, carrying voice, data, corporate networks and television over 28 C-band transponders. The satellite is expected to operate for more than 12 years. It has one beam for national service and a second regional beam that focuses higher power on the major urban areas.
In a related development, Arianespace and CNES, the French Space Agency,
announced the third Ariane 5 test flight would be delayed from May until
late summer, due to technical preparations of the launcher. The launch is
now likely in late July.
