HUGHES SPACE and Communications has been awarded a contract from Japan Satellite Systems to build a fifth communications satellite, the JSAT 5.

Arianespace will launch the satellite in 1997-8. It will be the 12th Japanese satellite to be boosted by the European organisation and the second in the JSAT series.

The 32 Ku-band transponder will be a Hughes HS-601 three-axis stabilised spacecraft, like the third and fourth satellites in the series, known formerly as JC-SAT. Over 60 HS-601s have now been ordered.

The JC-SAT 3 was launched by an Atlas in 1995 and the next in the series will be launched, also by an Atlas, in 1997. The JC-SAT 1 and 2 were Hughes HS-393 spin-stabilised buses, launched by Ariane and Titan boosters, respectively.

The JSAT 5, launch order brings to 41 the number of satellites on the Arianespace orderbook. The organisation's next launch, the V92, on 7 November, will carry the Arabsat 1B spacecraft aboard an Ariane 44LP model.

The Ariane 5, recovery programme will be announced by the European Space Agency and the French space agency, CNES, on 26 September. It is expected that the second flight will take place in April 1997, and that a third demonstration launch will be required before the booster can be handed to Arianespace. The first Ariane 5 launch failed on 4 June.

Source: Flight International