Ariane 5 launches communications and weather satellites
Posted: Fri, Jul 26, 2013, 9:49 AM ET (1349 GMT)
An Ariane 5 rocket successfully launched a large commercial communications satellite and an Indian meteorological satellite on Thursdays. The Ariane 5 ECA lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 3:54 pm EDT (1954 GMT) Thursdays, and released the Alphasat and INSAT-3D satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbits about a half hour later. Alphasat, also known as I-4A F4, was built by Astrium as part of a public-private partnership with mobile satellite company Inmarsat and ESA to demonstrate a next-generate large satellite bus. The satellite, weighing 6,650 kilograms at launch, will provide mobile communications services across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. INSAT-3D, built by the Indian space agency ISRO, weighed 2,200 kilograms at launch; that satellite will provide meteorological data for the Indian subcontinent.
An Ariane 5 rocket successfully launched a large commercial communications satellite and an Indian meteorological satellite on Thursdays. The Ariane 5 ECA lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 3:54 pm EDT (1954 GMT) Thursdays, and released the Alphasat and INSAT-3D satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbits about a half hour later. Alphasat, also known as I-4A F4, was built by Astrium as part of a public-private partnership with mobile satellite company Inmarsat and ESA to demonstrate a next-generate large satellite bus. The satellite, weighing 6,650 kilograms at launch, will provide mobile communications services across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. INSAT-3D, built by the Indian space agency ISRO, weighed 2,200 kilograms at launch; that satellite will provide meteorological data for the Indian subcontinent.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, April 30
Firefly Rocket Launch Failure Puts Satellite in Ocean, Not Orbit
Noozhawk — 6:54 am ET (1054 GMT) Lockheed Demo Satellite Lost During Firefly Launch Mishap
Aviation Week — 6:54 am ET (1054 GMT) Lockheed loses experimental satellite after Firefly launch mishap
Defense News — 6:53 am ET (1053 GMT) Firefly Rocket Launched from Vandenberg Crashes into Pacific Ocean North of Antarctica
Santa Barbara (CA) Independent — 6:52 am ET (1052 GMT) Rocket Lab attracts a bull rating from Needham due to its growing position as a SpaceX competitor
SeekingAlpha — 6:52 am ET (1052 GMT) |
