Ariane 5 Rocket Photo: ESA

[Via Satellite 05-01-2014] Arianespace signed a contract with Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) for the launch of the bank’s first satellite, BRIsat. The contract ceremony took place in Jakarta, Indonesia. Jacques Breton, SVP of sales and customers at Arianespace, stepped in to sign the contract on behalf of Stéphane Israël, chairman and CEO of Arianespace, who is on duty at the Guiana Space Center (CGS) in Kourou, French Guiana.

BRIsat will be the fifth satellite launched for Indonesian operators by Arianespace. The spacecraft will be built by Space Systems Loral and will be fitted with C- and Ku-band transponders, with a design life of more than 15 years. The satellite will be orbited by an Ariane 5 launcher in 2016 from the CGS in French Guiana.