spacetoday.net: Ariane launches two Eutelsat satellites

Posted: Mon, Dec 22, 2008, 12:30 PM ET (1730 GMT)
Ariane 5 launch of Hot Bird 9 and W2M satellites (Arianespace)

An Ariane 5 rocket successfully launched two communications satellites for Eutelsat Saturday evening. The Ariane 5 ECA lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana at 5:35 pm EST (2235 GMT) and placed the Hot Bird 9 and W2M satellites, both owned by Eutelsat, into geosynchronous transfer orbit about a half hour later. The launch was delayed by nearly 45 minutes when the initial launch attempt was halted at T-10 seconds because of a liquid hydrogen pressure issue. Hot Bird 9 is a Eurostar 3000 model spacecraft built by EADS Astrium and weighing 4,880 kilograms at launch. The spacecraft will operate from 13 degrees east in GEO, providing television programming to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East using its 64 Ku-band transponders. The W2M satellite was provided by a joint Astrium-ISRO consortium, and marks the first time an Indian-built satellite bus was launched for a commercial customer. The 3,460-kilogram satellite, to be located at 16 degrees east, will provide communications services to Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Indian Ocean islands using its 30 Ku-band transponders. The launch was the sixth and final Ariane 5 mission of 2008.