Ariane 5 rocket lifts Brazilian, Vietnamese satellites into space
KOUROU, French Guiana (AFP) — An Ariane 5 rocket blasted off here on Friday and successfully deployed telecommunications satellites for Brazil and Vietnam, Arianespace said.
The heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA successfully placed the Brazilian Star One C2 and Vietnamese VINASAT-1 satellites into geostationary transfer orbit, Arianespace officials said.
VINASAT-1, a 2.6-tonne craft built by US firm Lockheed Martin for Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group, will be the country's first telecommunications satellite, providing radio, television and telephone services across the country.
Built by Thales Alenia Space, the 4.1-tonne Star One C2 will be used by Brazilian telecommunications operator Star One to provide telecommunications, multimedia and Internet services over South America.
The second of seven planned flights for 2008, it was the 24th consecutive mission success of an Ariane 5 rocket, Arianespace said.
