Article Posted on : - Aug 08, 2011

Ariane 5 lifts off from the Kourou spaceport carrying the two satellites. An Arianespace photo

KOUROU (BNS): Executing its 59th launch mission, an Ariane 5 rocket has successfully placed in orbit two telecommunications satellites.

The launch mission, which was put off on Friday due to bad weather, took place a day later.

The heavy-lift Ariane 5 rocket blasted off from the Kourou spaceport, French Guiana at 2253 GMT and placed in orbit the ASTRA 1N and BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R spacecraft 38 minutes later.

The rocket delivered a total payload of 9,095 kg at the geostationary transfer orbit.

While the ASTRA 1N will be operated by Luxemburg-based satellite oprator SES Astra, the second satellite will be used by Japan’s B-SAT Corporation and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation.

Saturday’s launch was the European workhorse rocket’s fourth successful mission in 2011 and 45th successive successful mission throughout its operational history.

The next Ariane 5 mission is scheduled for September 9 to launch the SES 2 and Arabsat 5C satellites, Arianespace said.