The launch is Ariane’s 31st successful liftoff, and is also the first for 2007, which has, without doubt, kept the British military with their massive £3.6bn programme and the Indian Space Research Organisation very happy indeed.

The rocket launched at 2203 GMT Sunday, with the result that both satellites have successfully reached orbit.

The British Skynet 5A satellite weighs 4700kg (10,361 lbs), and is designed to add to the British military’s secure communications capabilities, which will be in use by British and NATO forces. It will also be used by the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium and other countries.

The second satellite is India’s Insat 4B which provides civilian communications and television capabilities for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and weighs 3028kb (6675 lbs). It is now in a geosynchronous orbit 36,000kms (22,300 miles) above the Earth, with reports saying a ‘healthy signal’ is already being received. The satellite is the 13th launched for the ISRO by Arianespace.

Before the launch, Arianespace CEO Jean Yves Le Gall saying before the launch that “This will be the first in what we believe will be an extremely busy year”, as in 2007, six more Ariane-5 rockets are set to launch, with a payload of 10 satellites due for Earth orbit. An Automated Transfer Vehicle ship for the International Space Station is also due to be launched.

For more information, please visit the www.arianespace.com website.
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