(Associated Press via NewsEdge) Arianespace has placed British military and Indian communication satellites on a rocket scheduled to launch into space this weekend.
The British Defense Ministry's Skynet 5A military communications satellite and India's Insat 4B civil communications satellite will lift off Saturday evening from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, Arianespace, the commercial arm of the 13-country European Space Agency, said in a statement.
The launch was delayed by one day to complete a review of the Ariane-5 ECA launcher, Arianespace spokeswoman Claudia Hoyao said Monday. She did not elaborate.
The Skynet 5A, which private company Paradigm Secure Communications will operate for the defense ministry, will offer secure communications services for the British armed forces, NATO and other countries. It will weigh about 4,700 kilograms at the launch, Arianespace said.
The Insat 4B will be the 13th Indian Space Research Organization satellite launched by Arianespace. It will provide television and telecommunications services primarily to the Indian subcontinent and will weigh about 3,000 kilograms at launch.
It will be the first launch of the year for Arianespace and its 175th overall since the space consortium was created in 1980. Arianespace has shuttled 242 satellites into orbit.
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