Chapman Freeborn’s cargo charter team and operator Volga-Dnepr Airlines have helped Argentina’s aerospace industry deliver a piece of history by transporting the first-ever space satellite manufactured in the country from San Carlos de Bariloche Airport to its launch site in French Guiana.
The ARSAT-1 satellite and its special transport container, together weighing about 40 tons, were carried onboard an An-124-100 freighter aircraft.
The flight was managed by our Brazil office on behalf of its client, and the charter team was present to oversee the entire operation.
Upon delivery at Félix Eboué International Airport, the satellite was unloaded for transfer by truck to the Guiana Space Centre facilities, where it is now undergoing pre-launch preparations.
It is scheduled to be launched on October 16 and you can stream the event live via an online webcast.
Once in space, the geostationary satellite will provide a wide range of telecommunications, data transmission, telephone and television services mainly across all of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Images appear courtesy of ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE.
