spacetoday.net: Arianespace reshuffles launch schedule

Posted: Tue, Jun 7, 2005, 1:51 PM ET (1751 GMT)
Ariane 5 ECA launch on V164 (ESA)

Arianespace announced Monday that it has postponed the launch of an Ariane 5 carrying two commercial communications satellites, moving it behind next month's launch of another satellite. The Ariane 5 ECA was scheduled to lift off the night of June 24 carrying the Spaceway 2 and Telkom 2 satellites, but Arianespace said in a statement that this launch would be delayed because of a technical problem with one of the two satellites. Arianespace did not indicate which satellite had suffered the problem, but officials with DirecTV, owner of Spaceway 2, told SkyREPORT.com that their satellite was not the cause of the delay. The delay now means the next launch will be of an Ariane 5 G, carrying the IPStar satellite for Thai company Shin Satellite, on July 7. DirecTV hopes to get Spaceway 2 launched later next month.