An Ariane 5 launched on January 16, 2020 at 9:05 PM (UTC), carrying two commsats with a combined mass of over six metric tons – Eutelsat Konnect and GSAT-30. 

Eutelsat Konnect is part of Eutelsat’s ongoing project to expand broadband services in Africa.  In addition to providing internet through community WiFi hotspots, it will expand mobile services in 40 countries on the continent, as well as 15 countries in Europe. It will operate primarily in the Ka-band, which is very sensitive to weather conditions but offers much greater available bandwidth than the usual Ku-band frequency range. The satellite is the first to be launched which uses the new NEO satellite bus developed by Thales Alenia Space with funding from ESA and from the French government. It features an all-electric xenon propulsion system which is extremely efficient and lighter than other propulsion systems.  The trade off is that it has low thrust. Because of this, the satellite will take months to reach its intended orbit, but will be able to maintain that orbit for decades. 

GSAT-30 will provide internet and television services for India.  It is replacing INSAT-4A, which was sent to a graveyard orbit in October of last year.  Like the INSAT it is replacing, GSAT-30 was designed and built by Indian Space Research Organisation. It will utilize 12 Ku-band & 12 weather resistant C-band transponders to provide communications to customers from Australia to Europe from its orbital position at 83 E longitude above the equator.

More on mission and payloads at:

• Eutelsat KONNECT (RocketLaunch Live) https://www.rocketlaunch.live/launch/va-251
• GSAT-30 Press Launch Kit (ISRO) https://www.isro.gov.in/sites/default/files/flipping_book/gsat30_launchkit/files/assets/common/downloads/GSAT-30%20Launch%20Kit.pdf
• INSAT 4A, 4B (Gunter’s Space Page) https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/insat-4a.htm
• Eutelsat Konnect (Gunter’s Space Page) https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/eutelsat-konnect.htm
• Ariane 5 orbits two satellites to “bridge the digital divide” on Arianespace’s first flight of the year (Arianespace) https://www.arianespace.com/mission-update/va251-ariane-5-success/
• Arianespace opens busy year with successful Ariane 5 launch (Spaceflight Now) https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/01/16/arianespace-opens-busy-year-with-successful-ariane-5-launch/