flown missionSuccess

Ariane 44P | Nilesat 101 & BSat 1b

ArianespaceAriane Launch Area 2 — Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

mission

Name
Nilesat 101 & BSat 1b
Type
Communications
Target orbit
Geostationary Orbit (Direct-GEO)

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.

schedule

NET (no earlier than)
Window opens
Window closes
Last updated

vehicle & provider

Rocket
Ariane 44P
Family
Ariane
Variant
44P
Provider
Arianespace
Type
Commercial
Country
FRA

launch site

Pad
Ariane Launch Area 2
Location
Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Country
GUF
Timezone
America/Cayenne
Coordinates
5.2320, -52.7782