Ariane launches French reconnaissance satellite
Posted: Sat, Dec 19, 2009, 10:29 AM ET (1529 GMT)
An Ariane 5 launched a French reconnaissance satellite on Friday after two previous attempts were scrubbed. The Ariane 5 GS lifted off at 11:26 am EST (1626 GMT) from Kourou, French Guiana, and placed the Helios 2B satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. The 4,200-kilogram satellite, built by EADS Astrium for the French military procurement agency DGA, will provide high-resolution imagery for the French military and those of several other European countries. The launch was originally scheduled last week but scrubbed because of a technical problem with the launcher, and a second launch attempt Thursday was halted in the final several minutes of the countdown. The launch was the seventh and final Ariane 5 mission for 2009, and was also the 35th consecutive successful Ariane 5 launch dating back to early 2003.
An Ariane 5 launched a French reconnaissance satellite on Friday after two previous attempts were scrubbed. The Ariane 5 GS lifted off at 11:26 am EST (1626 GMT) from Kourou, French Guiana, and placed the Helios 2B satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit. The 4,200-kilogram satellite, built by EADS Astrium for the French military procurement agency DGA, will provide high-resolution imagery for the French military and those of several other European countries. The launch was originally scheduled last week but scrubbed because of a technical problem with the launcher, and a second launch attempt Thursday was halted in the final several minutes of the countdown. The launch was the seventh and final Ariane 5 mission for 2009, and was also the 35th consecutive successful Ariane 5 launch dating back to early 2003.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, June 6
Putting the pieces together for Galileo second generation
ESA — 7:35 am ET (1135 GMT) SpaceX to launch another batch of Starlink satellites
Spectrum News — 7:34 am ET (1134 GMT) Russia Says Its Starlink Rival ‘Rassvet’ Will Launch Commercially in 2027
Kyiv Post — 7:33 am ET (1133 GMT) Ashley Devoto named as Air Force, Space Force CIO
Defensescoop — 7:31 am ET (1131 GMT) Morgan Stanley Sees SpaceX’s Revenue Reaching $3.4 Trillion in 2040
Wall Street Journal — 7:28 am ET (1128 GMT) |
