Prospects for the series
Arianespace - marketing organization for the Ariane series
Rapid development of the satellite launcher market showed the advantages of creating a company to market the launcher.
Thanks to a CNES initiative, Arianespace was founded on 26 March 1980. At that time, it was the only commercial space transport company in the world. The company is in charge of producing the Ariane launchers, marketing them and undertaking launch operations at Kourou.
CNES owns 34% of the company, which has a total of 50 shareholders from 12 European countries. Arianespace is the world leader in commercial launchers. The company controls nearly 50% of the competitive market for placement of satellites in geostationary transfer orbit.
Thanks to a CNES initiative, Arianespace was founded on 26 March 1980. At that time, it was the only commercial space transport company in the world. The company is in charge of producing the Ariane launchers, marketing them and undertaking launch operations at Kourou.
CNES owns 34% of the company, which has a total of 50 shareholders from 12 European countries. Arianespace is the world leader in commercial launchers. The company controls nearly 50% of the competitive market for placement of satellites in geostationary transfer orbit.
Ariane 5 - the future of the Ariane family
Ariane 5 launcher. Crédits : CNES/ESA,1997
The Ariane 5 launcher is geared toward making the series more competitive by incorporating many innovations, including improved performance, significantly reduced launch costs and increased useable diameter of the fairing.
There are two variants of Ariane 5:
- Ariane 5G, the basic variant now no longer in service.
- Ariane 5 Evolution: using the same upper stage as the basic Ariane 5G, the Ariane 5 ES variant is capable of launching the 20-tonne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into low-Earth orbit (LEO), while the Ariane 5 ECA, featuring an enhanced cryogenic upper stage, is capable of lifting nearly 10 tonnes into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
