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Better late than never – Ariane 5 blasts off

world news

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The world’s heaviest commercial satellite has finally got off the ground, onboard a European Ariane 5 rocket. A first launch attempt was halted just 15 seconds before lift-off, after a technical problem was registered on the launch pad.

However, over an hour later, everything went according to plan and the Ariane 5 rocket blasted off from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. The payload is the THAICOM 4 (IPSTAR) satellite, weighing over 6,000 kg. It will provide internet access services to 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The launch is the 166th since Ariane rockets first went into service.

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