spacetoday.net: Ariane 5 launches British, Turkish satellites

Posted: Fri, Jun 13, 2008, 8:11 AM ET (1211 GMT)
Ariane 5 launch of Skynet 5C and Turksat 3A (Arianespace)

An Ariane 5 launched communications satellite for a Turkish operator and the British military Thursday evening. The Ariane 5 ECA lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana at 6:05 pm EDT (2205 GMT) and placed the Turksat 3A and Skynet 5C satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbit about a half-hour later. Turksat 3A, a Spacebus 4000B2 model built by Thales Alenia Space, weighed 3,110 kilograms at liftoff and carries 24 Ku-band transponders. The satellite, owned by Turkish satellite operator Turksat, will provide communications services for portions of Europe and central Asia from 42 degrees east in GEO. Skynet 5C is the third and final satellite in the Skynet 5 series of military communications satellite operated by Paradigm for the British Ministry of Defence. The Eurostar E3000 series spacecraft, built by EADS Astrium, weighed 4,640 kilograms at launch and will operate from 17.8 degrees west in GEO. The launch, the third this year for the Ariane 5, also marked the 25th successful Ariane 5 launch, a streak that dates back to early 2003.