Flight VA225: another successful launch for leading operators Eutelsat and Intelsat, Ariane 5’s first commercial customers.

With the successful launch of EUTELSAT 8 West B and Intelsat 34, Arianespace celebrates a partnership stretching back more than 30 years with two world leaders in satellite communications, Eutelsat and Intelsat.

Arianespace's seventh launch of the year was the fourth with Ariane 5 and the 67th successful Ariane 5 mission in a row. Europe's heavy launcher lifted off on August 20 at 5:34 pm (local time) from the Guiana Space Center, Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, witnessed by Emmanuel Macron, French Minister for the Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs.

Two geostationary telecom satellites

EUTELSAT 8 West B will provide high-definition and ultra-high-definition direct TV broadcast services to North Africa and the Middle East, as well as telecommunications services across Africa and in the eastern part of South America.

Intelsat 34 will provide C-band telecommunications services for Latin America and Ku-band services in Brazil. In addition, it will offer Ku-band broadband Internet services for maritime and aeronautical operators in the North Atlantic.

Long-standing partnerships with two world leaders in fixed satellite services

Since the launch of the EUTELSAT-1 F1 and Intelsat 507 satellites in 1983, Eutelsat and Intelsat, the leading commercial customers for Ariane 5, have regularly called on Arianespace's launch solutions.

EUTELSAT 8 West B is the 30th satellite orbited by Arianespace for Eutelsat, the leading satcom operator in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and number 3 worldwide in terms of revenues. Arianespace currently has three more satellites in its order book to be launched for Eutelsat.

Intelsat 34 is the 55th satellite orbited by Arianespace for Intelsat, the world leader in fixed satellite services in terms of revenues and in-orbit capacity. Arianespace has four more Intelsat satellites in its backlog of launch orders.

Shortly after the announcement that the two satellites had been injected into orbit, Arianespace Chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël said: "Arianespace is very proud of our successful dual launch this evening for the two leading commercial customers of our heavy launcher, Ariane 5. I would like to thank Intelsat and Eutelsat for their unwavering trust and loyalty over more than 30 years.

"I would also like to thank all our partners who contributed to this seventh launch of the year, the 67th successful launch in a row for Ariane 5: ESA, prime contractor for the Ariane program; all European companies who contribute to Ariane under the direction of industrial prime Airbus Safran Launchers; CNES-CSG and companies at the launch base, who have provided constant support for all our successes; and of course the men and women of Arianespace, whose commitment and professionalism underpin our goal of setting a new record for the total number of launches in 2015.

"We are also very honored this evening by the presence of the French Minister for the Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs. I would like to express my personal thanks to him and the French government for their constant support of the Ariane program and Arianespace, against the backdrop of a deep reorganization of the European launcher industry."