This evening, an Ariane 5 launcher lifted off from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on its mission to place two telecommunications satellites, Eutelsat-21B and Star One-C3, into their planned transfer orbits. Liftoff of flight VA210, the 66th Ariane 5 mission, came at 21:05 GMT (22:05 CET; 18:05 French Guiana). The target injection orbit had a perigee altitude of 250 km, an apogee altitude at injection of 35 786 km and an inclination of 2°. Read more
THE ARIANE 5 ECA LAUNCHER LIFT-OFF for this flight is scheduled on November 9 to 10, 2012 as soon as possible within the following launch window:
> Kourou: Between 06:05pm and 07:51pm > GMT/TU: Between 09:05pm and 10:51pm > Paris: Between 10:05pm and 11:51pm > Washington: Between 04:05pm and 05:51pm
The Launch Readiness Review (RAL) took place in Kourou on Wednesday November 7, 2012 and authorised count-down operations for the EUTELSAT 21B & STAR ONE C3 launch. Arianespace will orbit two telecommunications satellites on its sixth Ariane 5 launch of the year: Eutelsat 21B for the European operator Eutelsat, and Star One C3 for the American manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corporation and the Brazilian operator Star One. The choice of Arianespace by leading space communications operators and manufacturers is clear international recognition of the company's excellence in launch services.
It will be launched from the Ariane launch complex N° 3 (ELA3), in Kourou, French Guiana.
> Kourou: Between 06:05pm and 07:51pm > GMT/TU: Between 09:05pm and 10:51pm > Paris: Between 10:05pm and 11:51pm > Washington: Between 04:05pm and 05:51pm