spacetoday.net: Ariane launches two communications satellites

Posted: Sat, Dec 9, 2006, 9:42 AM ET (1442 GMT)
Ariane 5 launch of AMC-18 and WildBlue-1

An Ariane 5 successfully launched a pair of American communications satellites Friday evening. The Ariane 5 ECA lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana at 5:08 pm EST (2208 GMT) Friday and placed the AMC-18 and WildBlue-1 satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbit. AMC-18, an A2100-series satellite built by Lockheed Martin for SES Americom, weighed 2,081 kg at launch and carries 24 C-band transponders. It will operate at in GEO at 105 degrees west providing cable TV distribution services. WildBlue-1, a 1300-series spacecraft built by Space Systems/Loral for satellite Internet services provider WildBlue, weighed 4,735 kg at launch. It has 35 Ka-band spotbeams to provide high-speed Internet services throughout the US from 111.1 degrees west. The launch was the fifth and final one of 2006 for the Ariane 5.