Ariane 5 launches Anik F2
Posted: Sun, Jul 18, 2004, 10:16 AM ET (1416 GMT)
After near a week of delays, an Ariane 5 launched a Canadian communications satellite Saturday night. The Ariane 5G lifted off from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana at 8:44 pm EDT (0044 GMT Sunday). Its payload, the Anik F2 communications satellite, separated from the booster 28 minutes later after entering geosynchronous transfer orbit. The satellite, a Boeing 702 model, is the largest commercial communications satellite ever launched, weighing over 5,950 kg at launch. The spacecraft carries 38 Ka-band, 32 Ku-band, and 24 C-band transponders, which will be used in part to provide two-way high-speed Internet service in North America from its position at 111.1 degrees west longitude. The launch was the four attempt in nearly a week. The original launch attempt Monday was delayed because of a technical problem, while consecutive attempts Thursday and Friday were scrubbed because of weather and ground equipment problems, respectively. The launch is the second this year for the Ariane 5, after the launch of ESA's Rosetta mission in early March.
After near a week of delays, an Ariane 5 launched a Canadian communications satellite Saturday night. The Ariane 5G lifted off from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana at 8:44 pm EDT (0044 GMT Sunday). Its payload, the Anik F2 communications satellite, separated from the booster 28 minutes later after entering geosynchronous transfer orbit. The satellite, a Boeing 702 model, is the largest commercial communications satellite ever launched, weighing over 5,950 kg at launch. The spacecraft carries 38 Ka-band, 32 Ku-band, and 24 C-band transponders, which will be used in part to provide two-way high-speed Internet service in North America from its position at 111.1 degrees west longitude. The launch was the four attempt in nearly a week. The original launch attempt Monday was delayed because of a technical problem, while consecutive attempts Thursday and Friday were scrubbed because of weather and ground equipment problems, respectively. The launch is the second this year for the Ariane 5, after the launch of ESA's Rosetta mission in early March.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, February 12
Philip Plait on the Wonders of the Universe
The Browser — 7:00 pm ET (0000 GMT) Young girl's curiosity of science leads to becoming first African-American woman in space
US Air Force — 6:58 pm ET (2358 GMT) Cleveland-built testing equipment ready for space
AP — 6:57 pm ET (2357 GMT) Out of this world! Video shows spectacular view of moon and Northern Lights from space
The Daily Mail — 6:56 pm ET (2356 GMT) Final ‘go’ for Vega launch
ESA — 10:27 am ET (1527 GMT) |