Ariane 5 lifts off two telecom satellites in French Guiana

By Xinhua,

Paris : Ariane 5 lifted off two telecommunication satellites, Hispasat 1E and Koreasat 6 at 18:27 (GMT 2127) on Wednesday into geostationary transfer orbit from the launch zone in Kourou, in French Guiana.


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Hispasat 1E on the upper position is expected to serve Spanish operator Hispasat on television and value-added broadband services in mobile, land and maritime environments.

It was separated first over 27 minutes after the liftoff. Built by Space Systems/Loral with a life span of 15 years, Hispasat 1E weighs approximately 5,320 kilograms and will be orbit at 30 degrees west.

Koreasat 6, built by US Orbital Sciences Corporation and Thales Alenia Space of France for South Korea’s KT Corporation, is to provide broadcasting and communications services across South Korea.

Weighing around 2,850 kilograms, the second and lower passenger was ejected about 6 minutes later heading to its expected orbital position at 116 degrees east. Its life span exceeds 15 years.

Postponed from Tuesday due to windy weather, this is Arianespace’s year-end mission and the sixth flight of the heavy- lift Ariane 5 in 2010.

For the coming new year, Arianespace will begin its year-open mission on February 15 to launch the second European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

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