Ariane launches satellites for Brazil and Egypt

KOUROU, French Guiana (Reuters) -- Western Europe's 131st Ariane rocket placed communications satellites in orbit for Brazil and Egypt after a textbook launch from equatorial French Guiana on Thursday, the first Ariane launch in four months, space officials said.

For the third year running, Ariane rocket launches have been delayed, mostly because of satellite manufacturers' inability to deliver their payloads when promised.

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Between January and April the Arianespace company carried out four launches. Then Ariane rockets stayed on the ground waiting for satellites.

On Thursday the company used an Ariane 44LP rocket equipped with two liquid and two solid strap-on boosters. It blasted-off at 8.16 p.m. local time (2316 GMT) from the European Space Agency (ESA) launch center in Kourou, French Guiana on the northeast coast of South America.

The rocket lit-up a clear equatorial night sky as viewed from an observation site four kilometers (2.5 miles) from the launch pad. It was visible from the ground for over five minutes.

Twenty-one minutes after launch, space officials said the Brasilsat B4 satellite separated from the rocket. The satellite will provide television and communications transmissions throughout South America for telecommunications operator Embratel.

"This satellite will serve 700 million people," Amancio Pulchereo, General Manager Satellite Business for Embratel told Reuters.

Pulchereo said the cost of the satellite, launch and insurance was $150 million.

The 1.7-metric ton (3,855-pounds) satellite was built in California by Hughes Space & Communications.

Five minutes later the rocket released Egypt's Nilesat 102 direct television broadcast satellite. Nilesat will provide coverage from North Africa to the Far East.

The 1.8 metric ton satellite (4,000-pound) was built in France by the ASTRIUM company, a joint venture of the newly created European aerospace giant EADS and British Aerospace.

Specialists estimated the cost of the launch, satellite and insurance at over $200 million.

Both satellites will be placed in geostationary orbit.

Thursday's launch was the fifth Ariane mission this year and the 55th consecutive successful launch of an Ariane-4 rocket.

Arianespace the Paris-based company that launches and markets Ariane rockets said it had firm orders to launch 38 heavy satellites worth an estimated $3.2 billion.

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