Ariane 5 launches Echostar 18 and BRIsat satellites into orbit

Ariane 5 flight VA230 lifts off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana and delivered two satellites, EchoStar-18 and BRIsat, into their planned orbits. Photo Credit: Arianespace

After a delay of just over one week and two scrubbed attempts, Guiana Space Centre‘s launch pad ELA-3 came to life at 5:38 p.m. EDT (21:38 GMT) for the third time in 2016 as an Ariane 5, carrying the EchoStar 18…

Launch of Ariane 5 carrying EchoStar 18 and BRIsat delayed till June 16

Archive photo of Ariane 5’s Stage 2 connectors. Photo Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique Video du CSG

The launch of an Ariane 5, mission designation VA230, was delayed from Wednesday, June 8, to Thursday, June 16, due to an anomaly that occurred on a fluid connector between the cryogenic upper stage and the launch table during the rollout to the launch pad. Arianespace is currently working on…

An Ariane 5 to blast off with two communications satellites

The BRIsat satellite being unloaded from its shipping container on May 9. Photo Credit: Arianespace

On Wednesday, June 8, Arianespacewill conduct its fifth orbital mission of 2016 by sending a duo of communications satellites into space. The spacecraft will be launched atop an Ariane 5 booster between 4:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. EDT (20:30 and 21:15 GMT) from the Ariane Launch Complex No.3 (ELA-3) at…