[SatNews][ Lifting off from the Spaceport in French Guiana, an Arienespace' Ariane 5 deployed its two passengers during a mission lasting 34 minutes, the 41st consecutive successful flight for Ariane 5 occurring just one month after the previous mission in November.

The Ariane 5 launch occurred at sunset in French Guiana, providing an excellent view of the vehicle's ascent — including the separation of its two solid boosters at an altitude of some 67 km., and the payload fairing's jettisoning at 106 km. This latest mission was completed with the following estimated orbital parameters at the injection of its cryogenic upper stage: — Perigee: 249.4 km. for a target of 249.4 km. — Apogee: 35,922 km. for a target of 35,907 km. — Inclination: 2.99 deg. for a target of 3.00 deg.


The HISPASAT 1E satellite lofted by Ariane 5 was the sixth spacecraft launched by Arianespace for the Spanish-based HISPASAT telecommunications operator, continuing a relationship that traces its roots to the orbiting of HISPASAT 1A in 1992. With a liftoff mass of 5,320 kg., HISPASAT 1E will provide high-quality capacity for HISPASAT's new initiatives, which include direct to home television (DTH); digital terrestrial television; value-added broadband services in mobile, land and maritime environments; and high-definition television. HISPASAT 1E was the second large Space Systems/Loral-built telecommunication satellite launched in Ariane 5's most recent two missions, coming after the Intelsat 17 payload lofted on November 26.

The successful orbiting of KOREASAT 6 marked the second payload entrusted to Arianespace by KT Corporation, whose KOREASAT 3 satellite was launched in 1999. KOREASAT 6 had an estimated liftoff mass of 2,850 kg., and was built by an industry team composed of Orbital Sciences Corp. and Thales Alenia Space for the Republic of Korea's KT Corporation. It will handle broadcasting and communications services across all of South Korea.

Arianespace's six heavy-lift missions performed in 2010 by Ariane 5 carried a total payload weight of approximately 45,235 kg. into geostationary transfer orbit from the Spaceport in French Guiana. This was complemented by the 4,200-kg. mass of six Globalstar second-generation satellites placed into circular phasing orbit on an Arianespace Soyuz mission, conducted by its Starsem affiliate from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome. Looking forward to 2011, Arianespace will begin its launch activity on February 15 with an Ariane 5 mission carrying the second European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).