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Arianespace shoots 2 satellites

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-10-30 05:17

PARIS: European Space Agency launched two telecommunication satellites NSS-12 and THOR 6 aboard Ariane 5 ECA launcher at 2000 GMT Thursday from Arianespace in Kourou, French Guiana.

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Ariane 5 was ignited at the South American jungle of Kourou, with two direct broadcast satellites on mission: NSS-12, for the operator of SES World Skies, a cross-continent satellite operator, and THOR 6 for Norwegian mobile operator Telenor.

The two satellites respectively separated from the white launcher 26 minutes after the blasting off. They will enter the eostationary transfer orbits in a few days, according to the live webcast of Arianespace headquartered near Paris.