Ariane rocket launches four satellites

Ten Ariane missions have been launched this year

KOUROU, French Guiana (Reuters) -- Western Europe's new generation Ariane-5 rocket has sent four satellites into orbit after a textbook launch from French Guiana.

The rocket blasted off late on Wednesday night from the European Space Agency (ESA) launch centre in Kourou, French Guiana on the northeast coast of South America.

The rocket lit up a partly cloudy equatorial night sky and was visible from the ground for more than three minutes.

Initially scheduled for launch on Tuesday, the mission was delayed for 24 hours due to a technical problem.

Twenty-nine minutes after lift-off, the PAS-1R satellite separated from the rocket, officials at the Arianespace rocket launch company said.

PAS-1R will provide telecommunications services between Europe, Africa and the Americas for U.S.-based satellite operator PanAmSat.

"PAS-1R will be operational for 15 years, perhaps more," PanAmSat president Douglas Kahn said after the launch.

He put the cost of the satellite, launch and insurance at $250 million.

Thirty-four minutes after lift-off the rocket released the STRV1-c and STRV1-d microsatellites.

The two satellites will provide experiments on space environment and possible implementation of a space-based Internet network for Britain's Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).

Seven minutes later the AMSAT P-3D amateur radio satellite separated from the rocket.

AMSAT is the largest amateur radio satellite ever built weighing 630 kg (1,380 lb) its owner, Germany's AMSAT organisation, said. It is designed to support ham radio operators in North America, Europe and Asia.

Wednesday's launch was the 10th Ariane mission this year. It was the seventh mission of the new generation Ariane-5 rocket and its fourth commercial flight.

Ariane-5's career started off with a spectacular failure during its maiden test launch in June 1996, exploding 37 seconds after liftoff sending four uninsured scientific satellites worth $500 million plunging into mangrove swamps on French Guiana's coast.

Paris-based Arianespace that launches and markets Ariane rockets said it had $3.5 billion worth of orders for the launch of 39 heavy satellites.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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European Space Agency
Arianespace
AMSAT
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency

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