ESA Places Two Satellites into Orbit
March 13, 2007
The European Space Agency said an Ariane 5 rocket has placed two satellites into Earth orbit.
The first 2007 launch of an Arian 5 ECA rocket took place at Sunday evening at Europe’s French Guiana spaceport. The satellites were placed into their correct orbits about 30 minutes later, the agency said.
The satellites are Skynet 5A, a secure telecommunications satellite for the British armed forces, and Insat 4B, which will provide fixed television and telecommunications services for the Indian subcontinent.
The Ariane 5 ECA rocket is designed to place payloads weighing up to 10 tons into geostationary transfer orbit.