Arianespace mission VA208, the 50th flight of the Ariane 5. Photo: ESA

[Via Satellite 04-20-2016] Launch provider Arianespace increased its turnover by 2.4 percent in 2015, growing to $1.623 billion (1.433 billion euros) over last year’s record of $1.585 billion (1.399 billion euros). In 2015 Arianespace completed a company record of 12 launches from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in French Guiana — six by Ariane 5, three by Soyuz, and three by Vega — an increase over the 11 launches carried out from CSG in 2014 (six Ariane 5, four Soyuz, and one Vega). Arianespace attributed these results in part to optimized scheduling of the three launch systems and shorter launch campaigns, both facilitated by the commissioning of the FCube facility at CSG.

Arianespace remained at break-even in 2015, as in 2014, posting net income of $4.5 million (4 million euros). The company continued its competitiveness plan launched in 2014, with actions achieving concrete results such as a reduction of roughly 10 percent in annual costs for services provided by ground service firms at the GSC. On April 1 the company also implemented a new organizational structure designed to strengthen project management.

Arianespace signed contracts for 14 geostationary satellite launches with the Ariane 5 rocket in 2015. The company signed a total of 33 launch contracts during the year, worth $2.83 billion (2.5 billion euros), to increase its order backlog to $6 billion (5.3 billion euros). Arianespace is preparing for the new launchers Vega-C and Ariane 6, slated for first flights in 2019 and 2020, respectively, to bolster competitiveness and maintain independent access to space for Europe.