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European heavy-lift launcher Ariane 5 lifted off two communication satellites on Saturday.

The Ariane 5, carrying Astra 1N and BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R, was launched at 2252 GMT on Saturday from Kourou launch centre in French Guiana, according to live broadcast of the launching process.

This was the fourth mission of Ariane 5 in 2011 and its 203th flight that sent off the two satellites Saturday night to their respective geostationary transfer orbits.

Astra 1N, to be separated first, is built by EADS Astrium in Toulouse, France, for the Luxembourg-based operator SES Astra. With a designed lifespan of 15 years, it has an estimated liftoff mass of 5,350 kg and is fitted with 52 active Ku-band transponders.

It is initially to deliver interim capacity from an orbital position of 28.2 degree East, and will subsequently move to SES Astra's prime location at 19.2 degree East for primary and backup services.

BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R is manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems in Newtown, Pennsylvania, for Japanese operators B-SAT Corporation and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation. This satellite weighs approximately 2,910 kg at launch time. It is to be positioned at 110 degree East longitude in geostationary orbit with a lifetime exceeding 16 years.

The precision of Ariane 5 was demonstrated once again tonight, highlighting the on-target repeatability of this vehicle. The estimated orbital parameters at its cryogenic upper stage’s injection were:
- Perigee: 249.7 km. for a target of 249.7 km.
- Apogee: 35,957 km. for a target of 35,952 km.- Inclination: 2.01 deg. for a target of 2.00 deg.

ASTRA 1N was deployed first during the mission, and marked the 11th satellite launched for SES ASTRA by Arianespace – and the 34th entrusted to the company by the SES group.

Fitted with 52 active Ku-band transponders, ASTRA 1N was built by EADS Astrium based on the Eurostar E3000 platform, and had an estimated liftoff mass of 5,350 kg. It initially is to deliver interim capacity from an orbital position of 28.2 deg. East, and subsequently will move to SES ASTRA’s prime location at 19.2 deg. East for primary and backup services during a designed operational lifetime of 15 years.

Tonight’s mission marked the 59th liftoff of Ariane 5 from the Spaceport’s ELA 3 launch complex in French Guiana, and was the workhorse vehicle’s fourth flight in 2011.

The BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R spacecraft – which was released second in tonight’s flight sequence – was manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems as part of a turnkey contract for Japanese operators B-SAT Corporation and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation. Produced using an A2100 A platform and weighing approximately 2,910 kg. at launch, this was the 41st Lockheed Martin satellite provided to Arianespace for launch.

BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R is equipped with 24 active Ku-band transponders, and will be positioned at 110 deg. East longitude, with its primary mission to provide direct TV broadcast links for all of Japan.

This Ariane 5 flight has been postponed twice, firstly due to some technical problem in early July and then delayed by bad weather.

Arianespace plans to achieve six Ariane 5 missions through this year.

The booster Zenith-3SLBF with a unique astrophysical observatory Spectrum-R was launched from the Baikonur spaceport on Monday, ITAR-TASS reported from the spaceport. The booster with the Fregat-SB upper stage was blasted off at 6.31 Moscow time on Monday.

Spectrum-R is the first Russian automatic astrophysical observatory for the last 25 years that will enable the scientists to observe remote extragalactic objects in the radiofrequency spectrum of the electromagnetic waves with a super high resolution, a source in the Russian Academy of Sciences told ITAR-TASS. The radio interferometry technology will enable to achieve a new unique data about the nature of the Universe, the project authors believe.

An unusual orbit, which takes into account a major role of the lunar gravitation, was picked up for the space radio telescope. “This is an elliptic orbit with a rotation period of about 9.5 days and the maximum distance of 350,000 kilometers from the Earth that is to say closely to the orbit of the Moon,” the experts explained. Though the Moon is situated quite far from the observatory-satellite that is 50,000 kilometers away, however, the Moon has a weak gravitational impact on the observatory. The orbit inclination provides a high resolution of the image of a celestial body monitored in all directions.

“This is a very interesting launch, because such a ‘smart’ orbit was found. Under the gravitational impact of the Moon the orbit will change its angle, thanks to which the Spectrum-R telescope will be scanning the space,” the chief of the Lavochkin Research and Production Association Viktor Khartov said.

The project authors believe that this interferometer will be able to achieve a new unique data about the nature of the Universe. “We will be able to observe very remote parts of the Universe and to receive a highly accurate data about various galactic phenomena. The scientists in the whole world are looking forward for this,” Khartov said.

A Delta 4 rocket has rumbled into the sky from Cape Canaveral carrying a GPS satellite.

The rocket lit up the sky at 2:41 a.m. Saturday after two consecutive days of delays for technical and weather issues. The rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket placed the navigation satellite into the Global Positioning System constellation for the Air Force.

The GPS 2F satellites provide enhanced military signals that have greater accuracy and are more resistant to signal jamming. They also have some civilian applications and a longer life expectancy than the previous generation of satellites.