Arianespace to focus on Asia-Pacific

Arianespace has celebrated its 30th anniversary in bringing affordable satellite launches by focusing on the Asia-Pacific region, which is poised to see high levels of growth in the new few years.
 
Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall said that the demand for high-definition television, science and security was fuelling the need for more satellites. In the Asia-Pacific region, satellites are perfect for broadband connectivity given the vast geographical areas and ancient fixed line infrastructure in many countries. Last but not least is a resurgence in the need for satellite telephony.
 
Arianespace launches satellites out of French Guiana. It uses the large Ariane 5 rocket, the mid-sized Soyuz and from 2011, the lightweight Vega rocket.
 

 
He said he has a full order book of 35 satellites and with dual launches with Ariane 5 (two satellites launched with each rocket) that means 18 launches.
 
What makes Arianespace special is how it has managed to package launches with finance and insurance which has made it even more relevant in today's financially turbulent times. The Ariane 5 rocket has had 36 successful launches in a row, a record, which helps drive insurance costs down across the industry.
 
The factory is building 41 launchers and the spaceport has two launch platforms. The European Space Agency is building a new launchpad there for the Soyuz. Meanwhile, the new Vega will be mostly use for low earth orbit satellites.
 
2010 will see seven launches with communications satellites from Korea, Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong in the pipeline. The company boasts that it has launched 75 percent of Asian satellites so far.
 
Arianespace conducts the launches. The actual research and development on the Ariane 5 rockets is done by the European Space Agency and funded by the taxpayer. The rockets are made by the ESA and bought for launch by Arianespace.
 
Today Arianespace is a one billion Euro a year company and is limited to around seven-nine launches a year. Next year will see additional capacity through its Soyuz operations.
 
Asked about the future and if re-usable rockets will ever play a part, Le Gall said that he does not see the economics of reusable rockets displacing simple, cost-effective expendable rockets like the Ariane 5 for the foreseeable future. Even the US, with its space shuttle, is going back to expendable after two more Space Shuttle launches as it cheaper that way.
 
The Ariane 5 itself was initially designed as human capable, but development has been stopped through lack of funding from the European governments.