Posted: Sun, Jun 27, 2010, 10:07 AM ET (1407 GMT)
An Ariane 5 successfully launched two satellites late Saturday after two previous attempts earlier this week were scrubbed. The Ariane 5G lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana at 5:41 pm EDT (2141 GMT) and placed the Arabsat 5A and COMS satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbit about a half hour later. Arabsat 5A was built by EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space for Arabsat; the 4,939-kilogram communications satellite will operate from 30.5 degrees east. COMS, built by EADS Astrium for the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, carries communications, meteorological, and ocean-observing payloads; the 2,460-kilogram satellite will operate from 128 degrees east. The launch was the third attempt to place the satellites in orbit, after technical problems scrubbed attempts on Wednesday and Thursday.

Related Links:

•  Spaceflight Now article
•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  Reuters article
•  Korea Times article
•  Arianespace press release