EchoStar 18 – Spaceflight Now

Imagery of the Ariane 5’s blazing blastoff at sunset in the jungle

June 20, 2016 Stephen Clark

The Ariane 5 rocket’s weekend launch from French Guiana set a weight record and produced stunning imagery as the powerful 180-foot-tall booster soared into space backdropped by the colorful orange hues of sunset on the edge of the Amazon jungle.

Ariane 5 rocket hoists record commercial payload into orbit

June 19, 2016 Stephen Clark

Two U.S.-built communications satellites for Dish Network television subscribers and Indonesian banking customers fired into orbit from French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 rocket Saturday, setting the record for the European launcher’s heaviest commercial payload.

Photos: Ariane 5 on the launch pad for heavy-lift mission

June 17, 2016 Stephen Clark

An Ariane 5 rocket is counting down to a second launch attempt Saturday to carry two communications satellites into space for DISH Network and Indonesian banking customers, taking the heaviest payload ever launched into geostationary transfer orbit.

Mission events timeline for Ariane 5’s third flight of the year

June 17, 2016 Stephen Clark

A European Ariane 5 rocket will propel two communications satellites from a standstill to a speed of nearly 21,000 mph in 25 minutes during a launch Friday from French Guiana.

Live coverage: Ariane 5 lifts off with two U.S.-built satellites

June 17, 2016 Stephen Clark

Two communications satellites built in California launched Saturday aboard the third Ariane 5 flight of the year after unacceptable upper level winds kept the rocket grounded Friday. The European rocket lifted off from French Guiana at 2138 GMT (5:38 p.m. EDT) with payloads for DISH Network and BRI, a major Indonesian bank.

Ariane 5 rocket rolls to launch pad for liftoff Friday

June 16, 2016 Stephen Clark

The third Ariane 5 flight of the year is on track for a late afternoon liftoff Thursday from French Guiana with two U.S.-built communications satellites to broadcast television channels to millions of DISH Network subscribers and improve banking services across the islands of Indonesia.

Ariane 5 launch delayed to replace cryogenic fluid connector

June 7, 2016 Stephen Clark

The next launch of Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket has been delayed from Wednesday after engineers encountered a problem with a cryogenic fuel connector, Arianespace said Tuesday.

Record double-satellite payload mated to Ariane 5 for launch next week

June 1, 2016 Stephen Clark

A new communications satellite to beam television channels to millions of DISH Network subscribers in the United States and the first spacecraft dedicated to support banking services have been attached to an Ariane 5 rocket for liftoff June 8 from French Guiana.

Record pace of Ariane 5 flights planned for 2016

January 11, 2016 Stephen Clark

Arianespace plans 11 launches from French Guiana this year, including eight flights by the heavy-lift Ariane 5 rocket with up to a dozen large telecommunications satellites and four spacecraft for Europe’s Galileo navigation system.