Ariane delivers satellites to space

It was a case of fourth time lucky, for the latest mission of Europe’s Ariane-5 rocket. It blasted off from French Guiana with a payload of two communications satellites. Three earlier launches had to be cancelled because of technical problems.

The heavy-lift craft, which can carry up to 10 metric tonnes, put into orbit a Spanish military satellite and another for a Paris-based telecoms operator. The mission was a far cry from the first Ariane 5 launch in 2002 which ended in failure after it veered off course over the Atlantic.

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