Eutelsat Communications has awarded Arianespace the contract to launch its W2M satellite on an Ariane 5 in the second quarter of 2008 from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The European launcher has orbited more than half of Eutelsat’s fleet. W2M will be built by EADS Astrium and the Indian Space Research Organisation, be designed to last 15 years and will typically operate 26 Ku-band transponders. The W2M will broadcast television and transmit to data networks in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.