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Launch Successful

Ariane 5 ECA+ | Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B

August 15, 2020 at 10:04 PM UTC

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Ariane 5 ECA+ | Galaxy 30, MEV-2 & BSAT-4B launch image
Mission imagery · Ariane 5 ECA+

Launch details

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August 15, 2020 at 10:04 PM UTC

Status: Launch Successful · Live feed refreshes every 30 seconds

Ariane Launch Area 3

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana · 5.2390, -52.7680

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Launch site
Ariane Launch Area 3

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Launch probability
-1%
Window opens
August 15, 2020 at 9:33 PM UTC
Window closes
August 15, 2020 at 10:20 PM UTC
Feed updated
June 14, 2023 at 4:01 AM UTC

Mission description

Galaxy-30 is a geostationary communications satellite for Intelsat. Satellite is built by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (NGIS) and is planned to provide video distribution and broadcast services to customers in North America. Galaxy 30 satellite is launched in tandem with MEV-2 vehicle. MEV-2, which stands for Mission Extension Vehicle-2, is the second servicing mission by NGIS. MEV-2 will rendezvous and dock with the Intelsat 1002 satellite in early 2021. Then, MEV-2 will use its own thrusters and fuel supply to control the satellite’s orbit, thereby extending its useful lifetime. Another passenger of the flight is the BSAT-4b satellite for the Japanese operator BSAT. BSAT-4b will serve as a back-up for BSAT-4a satellite, launched in 2017. BSAT-4b will provide Direct-to-Home television services and is expected to operate for at least 15 years.

Mission media

Watch the launch.

Arianespace Flight VA253 – Galaxy 30 / MEV-2 / BSAT-4b - 31 July 2020 (EN)

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Vehicle

Ariane 5 ECA+

Ariane 5 · ECA+

Height

57.7 m

Diameter

5.4 m

LEO capacity

0 kg

Successful launches

11

Launch complex

Ariane Launch Area 3

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

The Guiana Space Centre is a European spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana, a region of France in South America. Kourou is located at a latitude of 5°. In operation since 1968, it is a suitable location for a spaceport because of its equatorial location and open sea to the east.

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