spacetoday.net: Ariane launches two satellites

Posted: Fri, Oct 2, 2009, 10:47 AM ET (1447 GMT)
Ariane 5 launch of Amazonas-2 and COMSATBw-1 (ESA)

An Ariane 5 launched two communications satellites for a Spanish commercial operator and the German military on Thursday. The Ariane 5 ECA lifted off on schedule at 5:59 pm EDT (2159 GMT) Thursday from Kourou, French Guiana, and placed the Amazonas-2 and COMSATBw-1 satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Amazonas-2 is an Astrium Eurostar E3000 satellite built for Spanish operator Hispasat. The spacecraft, weighing 5,400 kilograms at launch, carries 54 Ku-band and 10 C-band transponders and will be located at 61 degrees west in GEO. COMSATBw-1 is a Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 3000B built under contract with Astrium, the prime contractor for the program; the satellite will be operated by the German space agency DLR for the German Bundeswehr. The 2,400-kilogram satellite carries SHF, UHF, and Ku-band transponders and will operate from 63 degrees east in GEO. The launch was the fifth Ariane 5 mission of 2009 and the 33rd consecutive successful launch of the vehicle.