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European Ariane rocket sends 4 satellites into space
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-13 13:38
PARIS -- An European Ariane 5 ECA rocket successfully launched two telecommunications satellites and a pair of military payloads Thursday evening.

The rocket, carrying the Hot Bird 10 and NSS-9 telecommunication satellites, and the Spirale A and Spirale B spacecraft, lifted off from Europe's Spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana at 22:09 GMT Thursday, sending them into orbit.

This is the 187th launch of an Ariane launcher, and the first launch in 2009, following six flights performed by Arianespace in 2008.

Hot Bird 10, built by EADS Astrium, will provide television, radio and interactive services across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East in the next 15 years.

NSS-9, manufactured by the Orbital Sciences Corporation, is designed for a minimum service of 15 years, providing relay services for broadcasters, government users, and carriers across the Pacific region and for the maritime industry.

Two small Spirale satellites were carried as auxiliary passengers of the heavy-lift vehicle.

Built by Alcatel Space for the Spirale program's prime contractor EADS Astrium, they are demonstrators for a French space-based optical early-warning system.

Ariane 5 ECA is the latest version of the Ariane 5 launcher. It is designed to place payloads weighing up to 9.6 tonnes into geostationary trasfer orbit. With its increased capacity, Ariane 5 ECA can handle dual launches of very large satellites.

Arianespace and Europe's Spaceport plan to conduct six to eight launches in 2009.