FILE: Ariane 5 Launch. Image Credit: ESA
An Ariane 5 carrier rocket lifted off from the Kourou space center in French Guiana carrying a dual-satellite payload into orbit: INTELSAT 17 for the international satellite operator Intelsat, and HYLAS 1 for the European operator Avanti Communications.
54th Ariane 5 launch, 40th success in a row
This latest successful Ariane 5 launch, the fifth in 2010, once again proves the launcher’s operational capabilities. Ariane 5 is the only commercial satellite launcher now on the market capable of simultaneously launching two payloads and handling a complete range of missions, from commercial launches into geostationary orbit to scientific satellites boosted into special orbits.
The 54th launch of an Ariane 5, and 40th successful mission in a row, clearly demonstrate the launcher’s reliability and availability.
With this launch, Arianespace has now orbited ten commercial geostationary communications satellites out of the total of 17 launched since the beginning of the year, giving it over 60% of the market.
