Arianespace Signs Agreement with Intelsat for Launch of IS-45

Arianespace today announced a contract with Intelsat to launch the IS-45 payload with Ariane 6. IS-45 will fly aboard an Ariane 6 (in its heavy version Ariane 64, shared with co-passengers). The launch target is first half of 2026.

This year marks the fourth decade since Arianespace began its storied relationship with Intelsat. Arianespace launched Intelsat 507 aboard an Ariane 1 from French Guiana in October 1983, initiating a partnership that has stood the test of time, and five different variants of the Ariane rocket.  IS-45 will be the third Intelsat payload awarded to Ariane 6 after IS-41 and IS-44.

“Arianespace is honored of its four-decade long partnership with the world leading satellite company, Intelsat, said Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace. In 1983, Arianespace launched the first of what would become scores of satellites for Intelsat. We are delighted to build on a heritage of trust to launch IS-45 aboard an Ariane 64 in 2026.”

”Following decades of successful launches with Arianespace, we are confident that the Ariane 6 will deliver the efficiency and flexibility needed for our future missions,” said Jean-Luc Froeliger, Intelsat senior VP of space systems.

IS-45 weighs about 1 metric ton at launch and is designed and built by SWISSto12, based on the company’s innovative HummingSat platform.