ARIANESPACE

Ariane 44L | Italsat 1

SUCCESS Ariane 44L →
Jan 15, 1991 at 23:10 UTC
Geostationary Orbit Communications Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana 98% success
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Live Orbit
Fullscreen
Mission Control3D trajectory · Live telemetry · AI narrator · Booster tracking
PADAriane Launch Area 2
SITEGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana →
ORBITGeostationary Orbit
TYPECommunications

Italy’s first operational communications satellite was launched 15 January 1991 by an Ariane-44L H10 booster. Developed by a contractor team led by Alenia Spazio, Italsat carries ten active transponders plus five spares for 30/20 GHz and 50/40 GHz links with a capacity of 12,000 telephone circuits.

VEHICLE
Ariane 44L
MISSION
Italsat 1
MISSION TYPE
Communications
TARGET ORBIT
Geostationary Orbit
LAUNCH PAD
Ariane Launch Area 2
COUNTRY
FRA
CONFIRMEDPrecision: Minute
LAUNCH LIBRARY 2 PRIMARY
API ID: 54c918d6-f451-4e9c-8709-c852b29c2e25
Reported date: Jan 15, 1991 at 23:10 UTC
Last synced: 15 minutes ago
This launch date and time are confirmed by the launch provider. Countdown is active.
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MANUFACTURER
Aérospatiale
VARIANT
44L
FLIGHTS
40
SUCCESSES
39
SUCCESS RATE
97.5%

The Ariane 4 was an expendable space launch system, developed by the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), the French space agency, for the European Space Agency (ESA). It was manufactured by ArianeGroup and marketed by Arianespace. Since its first flight on 15 June 1988 until the final flight on 15 February 2003, it attained 113 successful launches out of 116 total launches.

When is the Ariane 44L | Italsat 1 launch?
The Ariane 44L | Italsat 1 is scheduled for Tuesday, January 15, 1991 at 11:10 PM UTC. This is the NET (No Earlier Than) time and may be subject to change. Current status: SUCCESS.
What rocket is being used for Italsat 1?
The Ariane 44L | Italsat 1 mission uses the Ariane 44L rocket, manufactured by Aérospatiale. The Ariane 44L has flown 40 times with a 97.5% success rate.
Where is the Ariane 44L | Italsat 1 launching from?
The launch takes place from Ariane Launch Area 2 at Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana.
What orbit is Italsat 1 going to?
The Italsat 1 mission is targeting Geostationary Orbit.
Who is launching Italsat 1?
The Ariane 44L | Italsat 1 is operated by Arianespace.
Can I watch the Ariane 44L | Italsat 1 launch live?
Yes. Visit the launch detail page on Space Launch Live for embedded YouTube webcasts, replay videos, and links to live coverage from SpaceX, NASA, NASASpaceflight, and other channels.
Mar 29, 2026 03:05 UTC
Launch added to tracker
Imported from Launch Library 2 API
Mar 29, 2026 03:05 UTC
Launch date set: Jan 15, 1991 at 23:10 UTC
NET (No Earlier Than) confirmed by Arianespace
Mar 29, 2026 03:05 UTC
Launch completed successfully
Updated via Launch Library 2
Last data sync: 15 minutes ago
Launch Library 215 minutes ago
Launch ID: 54c918d6-f451-4e9c-8709-c852b29c2e25
Open-Meteo Weather18 hours ago
Pad weather at 5.23, -52.78

Mission Profile

Italsat 1 was a Ariane 44L mission operated by Arianespace that lifted off from Ariane Launch Area 2, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on January 15, 1991. The flight carried its payload on a communications mission to Geostationary Orbit. The launch was a success.