Communications
With the launch of Nilesat 101 on 28 April 1998, delivering more than 100 digital TV channels as well as radio and multimedia services to more than five million homes over the whole of North Africa from Morocco to the Persian Gulf, Egypt became the first African country to have its own direct TV broadcast satellite. A second satellite, Nilesat 102, was launched in 2000, and the Nilesat system now broadcasts more than 150 digital TV channels and provides additional services such as data transmission, turbo internet and multicasting applications. BSAT-1a and -1b replaced the two BS-3 spacecraft used for DBS services, including Hi-Vision test broadcasts, by NHK, WOWOW, and others. Hughes selected the Ariane rocket as the launch vehicle for the BSAT-1 spacecraft. BSAT-1a was launched 16 April 1997 from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. BSAT-1b was also launched from Kourou on 28 April 1998. The two satellites are located at 110 degrees East longitude.
Orbital Attempt
#4,232
ASA Mission
#106
Pad Launch
#81
Location Launch
#117
Designator
1998-024
Apr 28, 1998, 10:53 PM
1 update
The Ariane 4 was an expendable space launch system, developed by the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), the French space agency, for the European Space Agency (ESA). It was manufactured by ArianeGroup and marketed by Arianespace. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the final flight on 15 February 2003, it attained 113 successful launches out of 116 total launches.
Length
56.9 m
Diameter
3.8 m
Launch Mass
357 t
Thrust
5,140 kN
LEO Capacity
6,500 kg
GTO Capacity
3,390 kg
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
1991
Fastest Turnaround
1mo 13d
Total Launches
15
Successful
15
Failed
0
Consecutive Success
15
Maiden flight: Apr 4, 1991
Arianespace SA is a multinational company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane programme. Their vehicles launch exclusively from French Guiana in South America.
Founded
1980
Administrator
CEO: David Cavaillolès
Total Launches
326
Successful
311
Failed
15
Pending
29
Consecutive Success
14
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.
Timezone
America/Cayenne
Local Launch Time
Apr 28, 1998, 7:53 PM
Total Launches
333
Total Landings
0
Coordinates
5.1690, -52.6903