Launch Services Alliance

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title: "Launch Services Alliance" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["commercial-spaceflight", "mitsubishi-heavy-industries", "space-organizations"] description: "Launch services joint venture between Arianespace and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries" topic_path: "general/commercial-spaceflight" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Launch_Services_Alliance" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Launch services joint venture between Arianespace and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

Field	Value
name	Launch Services Alliance
type	Joint venture
industry	Aerospace
founded
products	launch service provider
owners	Arianespace
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
::

| name = Launch Services Alliance | logo = | type = Joint venture | industry = Aerospace | founded = | location_city = | location_country = | key_people = | products = launch service provider | owners = Arianespace Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | homepage = Launch Services Alliance is a "back-up" launch service provider. It is a joint venture between the multinational aerospace company Arianespace and Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; initially, the American aerospace firm Boeing Launch Services was involved as well.

LSA was established during 2003. In the event of one of the commercial partners not being able to execute a launch on time, one of the other partners could provide an alternative service, under a set of contractual conditions agreed between the participating companies. Such transfers would be made at the customer's discretion. The LSA offered this service for the Ariane 5 and H-IIA expendable launch systems; it previously offered the Zenit-3SL as well.

History

Following the end of the Cold War and the institution of the peace dividend, the aerospace industry went through a period of consolidation, mergers and partnerships. More specifically, a glut in affordable space launches during the early 2000s placed incumbent providers under pressure to respond. During 2001, the Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and American aerospace firm Boeing Launch Services announced the formation of a strategic alliance to cooperate on various space-related opportunities; specifically, this alliance applied to space-based communications, air traffic management, multimedia, navigation, space and communications services, launch services and space infrastructure markets.

During July 2003, the Launch Services Alliance (LSA) was originally formed, then consisting of the multinational aerospace company Arianespace with Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and American aerospace firm Boeing Launch Services; at this time, Boeing provided Sea Launch Zenit-3SL launch services at that time. The decision to switch between launchers is made by the end customer. Despite the formation of LSA, the three partner companies retained autonomy over their own operations and continued to independently market their respective commercial satellite launch capabilities. For Arianespace, its involvement in LSA represented a further diversification of their launch services.

During October 2003, LSA services were used for the first time when Arianespace transferred satellite DirecTV-7S delayed in manufacturing to the Zenit-3SL launch on 4 May 2004. During May 2004, the first contract for LSA services was signed for the Optus D1 satellite; Ariane 5 was assigned as the primary launch vehicle while the Zenit-3SL was served as backup. During 2005, LSA announced that the organisation had signed its fifth contract.

During April 2007, the LSA was reformed by Arianespace and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; the main change being the withdrawal of Boeing from any involvement in the venture. Since fiscal year 2007, responsibility for both production and management of the H-IIA launch system was transferred to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the partnership with Arianespace was hoped to help the former enter the market.

References

References

1. (7 June 2013). "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Arianespace conclude MOU on cooperation in commercial space rocket launches". Arianespace.
2. (24 April 2007). "MHI and Arianespace to Jointly Offer Satellite Launch Services". Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
3. (11 February 2003). "No end in sight for satellite downturn". [[Flight International]].
4. (22 June 2001). "Boeing in Japanese alliance". Flight International.
5. (15 September 2004). "Arianespace's operational motto: "Any mass, any orbit, any time"". Arianespace.
6. (22 March 2005). "The Launch Services Alliance takes the spotlight in Washington, D.C. during its first news conference". Arianespace.
7. Jonson, Nick. (31 July 2003). "Boeing, Arianespace, MHI form space launch service alliance". Aviation Week.
8. (4 July 2006). "Arianespace: back on track". Flight International.
9. (5 August 2003). "Companies sign deal for launch vehicle switch option". Flight International.
10. (30 October 2003). "Arianespace provides mission assurance to DIRECTV". Arianespace.
11. (4 May 2004). "SPACE SYSTEMS/LORAL-BUILT DIRECTV 7S SATELLITE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED". Loral Space & Communications.
12. "Launch Services Alliance". sky-brokers.com.
13. (19 May 2004). "Optus D1 - Groundbreaking Contract". Arianespace.
14. Staff Writer. (2007-04-30). "Arianespace, Mitsubishi Sign Commercial Launch Agreement".
15. (30 April 2007). "Arianespace, Mitsubishi Sign Commercial Launch Agreement". satellitetoday.com.
16. "Arianespace, MHI to market joint launch services {{!}} Aviation Week Network".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::