Visiona – Spaceflight Now

Launches resume in French Guiana with dual-payload Ariane 5 flight

May 4, 2017 Stephen Clark

Running more than six weeks late after social unrest in French Guiana forced the closure of Europe’s launch base there, a commercial Ariane 5 rocket took off Thursday just after sunset with a pair of communications satellites manufactured in France for owners in Brazil and South Korea.

Photos: Ariane 5 launcher on the eve of liftoff

May 4, 2017 Stephen Clark

A European Ariane 5 rocket sat poised for liftoff on a tropical launch pad Thursday nestled in the edge of the Amazon rainforest of South America.

Live coverage: Ariane 5 blasts off after short delay

May 4, 2017 Stephen Clark

An Ariane 5 rocket launched from French Guiana at 2150 GMT (5:50 p.m. EDT) Thursday with a pair of European-built communications satellites for the Brazilian government and KTsat, a South Korean telecom operator. Liftoff was delayed more than one hour to resolve a problem with ground equipment.

Timeline for Ariane 5’s launch of SGDC and Koreasat 7

May 3, 2017 Stephen Clark

Two European-made communications satellites destined to serve the Brazilian government and commercial customers across Asia are set to ride an Ariane 5 rocket into orbit Thursday.

Ariane 5 rocket rolled to launch pad with satellites for Brazil, South Korea

May 3, 2017 Stephen Clark

A month-and-a-half after a general strike in French Guiana halted launch preparations, an Ariane 5 rocket arrived at its launch pad Wednesday on the northeastern coast of South America, a day before hauling two communications satellites into orbit for the Brazilian government and a South Korean company.