Posted: Wed, May 12, 2004, 1:50 PM ET (1750 GMT)
An Australian communications satellite will fly on the first Soyuz rocket to be launched from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, company officials announced Wednesday. Australian telecommunications company Optus has purchased two launches from Arianespace, including the inaugural Soyuz launch from Kourou in 2007. That launch will carry the Optus D2 satellite; an Ariane 5 will launch the Optus D1 satellite in 2005, also from Kourou. The value of the launch deal was not announced. The two Optus satellites are Star-2 models built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, each weighing about 2,500 kg. The two satellite will replace the existing Optus B1 and B2 satellites.

Related Links:

•  AAP article
•  AFP article
•  Itar-Tass article
•  Arianespace press release