Europe's Ariane 5 launches 2 satellites into space

Kourou, June 19: Europe's Ariane 5 rocket launcher successfully sent two telecoms satellites, one for a US-based communications service provider and one for an Indonesian bank, into space.

They were launched from Kourou, in French Guiana, at 6:38 PM yesterday, according to launch company Arianespace.

It was the third launch of the year, placing into orbit the Echo Star XVIII for satellite service provider Dish Network, and BRIsat for Rakyat Indonesia bank. Twenty-nine minutes after launch, the satellite Echo Star XVIII entered orbit.

The satellite is designed to provide direct broadcasting services for 15 years to the continental US, Alaska and Hawaii for Dish Network.

Forty-two minutes after blast off, the satellite BRIsat reached its orbit. It is the first telecommunications satellite dedicated to a financial institution, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, which has 53 million customers across the Indonesian archipelago, according to Arianespace.

PTI