A Japanese satellite was moved to the Ariane.

The Japanese satellite, which was originally scheduled to be launched by the U.S. space shuttle in December, 1987, will instead be put into orbit by the shuttle’s main competitor, Europe’s Ariane rocket, Hughes Communications reported. Hughes said it reached agreement with Arianespace, the commercial arm of the European Space Agency, to launch Japan Communications Satellite Co.’s first domestic commercial communications satellite. The value of the agreement was not reported. Hughes, which owns 30% of the Japanese company, decided to have Arianespace launch the satellite because NASA has delayed shuttle launches indefinitely after the shuttle Challenger exploded. The Ariane rocket program is nearly solidly booked through 1989 with contracts worth $1.23 billion. Hughes Communications is a wholly owned subsidiary of Culver City-based Hughes Aircraft.