Posted: Sat, Jun 9, 2001, 11:33 AM ET (1533 GMT)
An Ariane 4 booster successfully launched an Intelsat communications satellite early Saturday after a one-day delay. The Ariane 44L lifted off on Flight 141 at 2:45 am EDT (0645 GMT) Saturday and placed the Intelsat 901 spacecraft into a geosynchronous transfer orbit about 20 minutes after launch. The launch took place one day later than planned after high upper-altitude winds forced flight controllers to postpone Friday morning's launch attempt. Intelsat 901, built by Space Systems/Loral, will provide C-band coverage of the Atlantic Ocean region and spot Ku-band coverage of Europe. The spacecraft is the first of ten "next-generation" satellites Intelsat plans to put into orbit between now and 2003. Saturday's launch is the first for Arianespace since an Ariane 5 launched two communications satellites three months ago; the next launch, also of an Ariane 5, is scheduled for July 12.
