Alphasat launches EIB investment

The world’s largest and most sophisticated commercial satellite has been successfully launched from the European Space port in Kourou, French Guiana in South America.

The satellite, known as Alphasat, will provide advanced voice and data communications for customers across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Construction and in-orbit validation of Alphasat are estimated to be €598m. The European Investment Bank (EIB) contributed €225m to the project for research, development and innovation.

Alphasat I-4A F4 was launched by the venerable Ariane V rocket and marks the culmination of the EIB’s participation in the project. The EIB became involved in April 2010 when former EIB President Philippe Maystadt signed the loan with Inmarsat, who developed and owns the satellite, in the presence of European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.

Arianespace, owners and operators of Ariane V, confirmed the successful spacecraft separation just under half an hour after the rocket launched in the early evening of 25 July 2013. Alphasat is scheduled to be in its final geostationary orbit position on 31 July, where it will be powered by a solar array spanning some 40 metres as it seeks to carry out its mission of delivering the most advanced communications available to customers in the remotest regions of its target area.

Inmarsat is the world’s largest satellite communication company and is headquartered in London, UK. The pan-European project was co-developed by the company in addition to EADS Astrium Satellites, the European Space Agency, Thales Alenia and Centre National d’études Spatiales. Alphasat was built with different parts and processes carried out in 22 different EU member states and represents Europe’s largest ever public private partnership for a space project.

You can view a video of the launch here.