Ariane 5 made a successful return to service on 4th May following the social unrest and protests in French Guyana that blocked launcher operations for six weeks.

The European launcher orbited telecommunications payloads for Brazil and South Korea on its 78th consecutive success, delivering an estimated payload lift performance of 10,289kg to geostationary transfer orbit.

The launch carried SGDC (Geostationary Satellite for Communications and Defense) for VISIONA Tecnologia Espacial S.A. (on behalf of Brazilian operator Telebras S.A. and the Brazilian government); and KOREASAT-7, which will be operated by ktsat – a wholly-owned subsidiary of South Korea’s KT Corp.

Both SGDC and KOREASAT-7 were produced by Thales Alenia Space using its Spacebus satellite platforms (Spacebus 4000C4 for SGDC; Spacebus 4000B2 for KOREASAT-7).

SGDC is the first satellite Arianespace has launched for Telebras S.A., performed within the framework of a contract with SGDC prime contractor VISIONA Tecnologia Espacial S.A.

It will operate from an orbital position of 75 deg. West with Ka- and X-band transponders, providing sovereign and secure means for Brazilian government and defence strategic communications, as well as high-quality Internet services to 100 percent of the Brazilian territory as part of the National Broadband Plan.

KOREASAT-7 is the third KOREASAT satellite orbited by Arianespace for ktsat, following KOREASAT-3 and KOREASAT-6 – launched in September 1999 and December 2010, respectively.

From its 116 deg. East orbital slot, KOREASAT-7 will be used for video and data applications, including internet access, DTH (direct-to-home broadcasting), government communications and connectivity for VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) networks. Its coverage area encompasses Korea, the Philippines, the Indochinese Peninsula, India and Indonesia.

Arianespace says that, in spite of the recent disruptions, it remains on track to deliver 12 launches this year as originally scheduled.