Arianespace remains committed to its customers in the Asia-Pacific market and is targeting new developments to expand its position as the region's benchmark launch services provider - highlighted by the company's presence this week at the Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC 2013) Conference and Exhibition in Hong Kong.

Stephane Israel, Arianespace's Chairman and CEO, underscored the demonstrated reliability and availability of the company's launcher family trio of the heavy-lift Ariane 5, medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega; while highlighting the company's continuing evolution to meet the needs of the region's operators - which represent more than 20 percent of Arianespace's geostationary transfer orbit launches in the last 10 years.

Israel's busy opening-day agenda in conjunction with the APSCC conference, which runs from today through September 26, included meetings with international print and television journalists, a satellite roundtable session, and a speech at the event's Arianespace-sponsored awards ceremony - where he stressed the company's active partnerships in the region and presented the Lifetime Achievement and Satellite Executive of the Year awards.

Arianespace's dynamic approach to satellites in the 3-to-3.3 ton range is well adapted to this market, Israel said, in addition to the announced upgrades for Ariane 5 workhorse in the framework of an European Space Agency (ESA) program, that will increase the payload fairing height up to two meters - available from 2015.

"I have been impressed by the loyalty of our customers and, in response, I pledge to keep their trust by setting priorities for Arianespace that will strengthen the quality and the competitiveness of our service offering," Israel said during his speech.

"I am looking forward to meeting those of you who want to work with Arianespace to present you these evolutions and see how we can best serve your interest."

Arianespace has a long history with its partners in this market, opening offices in Tokyo and Singapore in 1986 and 1996, respectively. With 64 geostationary satellites launched for 12 Asia-Pacific operators, Arianespace holds a market share of more than 60 percent in the area.

In 2013, Arianespace has partnered with Asia-Pacific customers for three of its six launches from French Guiana to date - telecommunications payloads for the Indian Space Research Organisation on Ariane 5 Flights VA214 and VA215 and the first Vietnamese earth observation satellite on Vega Flight VV02.

Meanwhile, Arianespace has inked three new launch contracts with the region's operators this year, including two with Australia's National Broadband Network Corporation and one with SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation of Japan.

As part of Arianespace's record order book worth more than four billion euros, the company will continue its strong partnership with Asia-Pacific customers - launching seven satellites in the 2014-2015 timeframe for operators from Japan, Australia, Malaysia and Hong Kong.