spacetoday.net: Ariane launches two satellites

Posted: Fri, Aug 30, 2013, 8:07 AM ET (1207 GMT)
Ariane 5 launch of Eutelat 25B/GSAT-7 (Arianespace)

An Ariane 5 rocket successfully launched communications satellites for a European-Middle Eastern joint venture and for India on Thursday. The Ariane 5 ECA lifted off on schedule at 4:30 pm EDT (2030 GMT) Thursday from the European spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana, and placed its payload of two satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbit about a half-hour later. The Ariane 5 launched Eutelsat 25B/Es'hail 1, a communications satellite that is a joint venture of European satellite operator Eutelsat and Qatari company Es'hailsat. The satellite, built by Space Systems/Loral, weighed 6,310 kilograms at launch and carries a Ka- and Ku-band payload to provide communications services from 25.5 degrees east. The other satellite, GSAT-7, is India's first dedicated military communications satellite. The 2,650-kilogram satellite, built by ISRO, will provide communications services for India's navy from 74 degrees east.