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The first commercial space transportation company, Arianespace, emerged in 1980. Based near Paris, France, this company maintains and operates Ariane Launch Vehicles which are used by various companies worldwide. On November 2, 1981, the company signed the first commercial contract with GTE Spacenet. Arianespace works closely with both the European Space Agency (ESA) and the French Space Agency (CNES). ESA directs the entire program, while CNES develops the launch vehicles, and Arianespace produces, markets, and launches the finished product. As of 1995, almost 100 satellites were placed into orbit by Arianespace. Arianespace is currently still producing Ariane 5 launchers and conducting launch services from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana.

 Identifier

NASM.2006.0054

Creator

Arianespace

Date

bulk 1985-1998

Provenance

Scott Sacknoff, Gift, 2006

Extent

0.45 Cubic feet ((1 box))

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection includes information on Ariane 5, Intelsat 702, PanAmSat, Ariane V16 - Spot 1 - Viking, Ariane V13 and V14 Launches, and Arianespace Flight 107. Also included here are six 5 x 7 color photographs. Pictured in the photographs are Jean-Marie Luton (chairman and CEO of Arianespace), Ariane flight 101, Arianespace flight 108 (NILESAT 101 and BSAT-1b), Ariane launch facilities 2 and 3 (ELA2 and ELA3), and the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. Seventy six Arianespace newsletters are also included, from March 1986-October 1994. The newsletters consist of issue numbers 1-10, 12-50, 52, 54-57, 59, 61-63, 65, 66, 68-70, 73-75, 77, 79, 82, 83, 85-89, and 92. The types of materials present in this collection include press releases, launch schedules and manifests, and brochures. Some of the documents are in French.

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Citation

Arianespace Collection, 2006-0054, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Astronautics

Space industrialization

Launch vehicles (Astronautics)

Artificial satellites

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Press releases

Photographs

Brochures

Newsletters