HANOI - Vietnam's second satellite, the VINASAT-2, roared off the launch pad aboard an Ariane 5 rocket at 22:13 GMT Tuesday from Guiana Space Center at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, Vietnamese state-run news agency reported Wednesday.

Thirty-five minutes after being launched, the satellite was separated from the rocket and went into orbit, the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported.

An Ariane 5 launcher lifts off from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana in this handout photo released on May 16, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

 

Witnessing the launching ceremony broadcast live at the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said the successful launch of VINASAT-2 is an important step to build Vietnam stronger in the field of information technology, according to the report.

Together with VINASAT-1 which launched in 2008, VINASAT-2 will help ensure the safe and stable provision of services, intensify the safety of the national telecommunication network, and expand the provision of telecom, audio-visual and internet services across the country.

It will also support national socio-economic development, natural disaster mitigation, and national defense and security, according to VNPT, which reported that currently about 90 percent of the VINASAT-1's capacity has been tapped.

With a total investment of 300 $million, VINASAT-2, constructed by US-based Lockheed Martin, is outfitted with Ku-band transmission beams capable of blanketing Southeast Asia and adjacent areas.

The satellite weighs approximately 3 tons and has a lifespan of 15 years, offering direct television broadcasting, telecommunications and Internet services, according to Vietnam News Agency.