On 19 December, the first of three satellites for client Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (the Government of Mexico) was launched from French Guiana, by Arianespace at the European Space Agency’s space center. The Bicentenario satellite was built by another Hogan Lovells client, Orbital Sciences Corporation. The launch occurred on a perfectly clear night, and can also be viewed on Arianespace TV [VIDEO].
The launch occurred two years (almost to the day) of the signing of the satellite construction contract, in a beautifully executed program by Orbital Sciences. The launch took place two weeks into the new Mexican Government’s Pena administration taking office, and in attendance were the new Secretary of Communications, Gerardo Ruiz Esparaza and the new Under Secretary Jose Ignacio Peralta who is responsible for the satellite program.
At the launch, Hogan Lovells satellite communications partner Randy Segal was in attendance, along with the Orbital Sciences Corporation Chairman and CEO David Thompson and Executive Vice President Michael Larkin, and many top-level Mexican Telecommunications Authority executives and military leaders.
Although it can take two days to get to French Guiana, it is a nice location for an end-of-year launch (even the infamous Devil’s Island looks quite appealing):
Two additional satellites remain under construction with Boeing Satellite Systems International, the first of which is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2014 on a Proton Launch vehicle of International Launch Services, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan.
It is said that temperatures can get down to -40 degrees in the wintertime at the Baikonur launch site, so the photographs for that launch will be much different.
Next year in Kazakhstan.