Ariane rocket lifts 'Cakrawarta' communication satellite<\/p>\n
KOUROU, French Guiana (Reuters): Western Europe's 102nd Ariane
\nrocket lifted communications satellites including Indonesia's
\nCakrawarta-1 and Sweden's Sirius-2 into orbit Wednesday after a
\ntextbook launch from equatorial French Guiana.<\/p>\n
The Ariane 44L rocket equipped with four liquid strap-on
\nboosters -- the most powerful of the Ariane-4 rocket series --
\ntook off from the European Space Agency launch center in Kourou,
\nFrench Guiana, on the northeast coast of South America.<\/p>\n
The rocket rose into a cloudy equatorial sky and was visible
\nfrom the ground for more than four minutes. The mission had been
\ndelayed for two days because of high altitude winds.<\/p>\n
Twenty-two minutes after lift-off, space officials said the
\nSirius-2 satellite separated from the Ariane rocket. The 2.9 ton
\nsatellite will provide direct television broadcast services to
\nScandinavia and northern Europe for Stockholm-based Nodiska
\nSatellit AktieBolaget. GE Americom holds a 50 percent stake. It
\nwas built by France's Aerospatiale.<\/p>\n
Four minutes later Cakrawarta-1, a direct television broadcast
\nsatellite to service Indonesia's 17,000 islands and nearby
\nsoutheast Asian countries, separated from the rocket.<\/p>\n
Built for Jakarta-based PT Medicatra Indostar, the satellite
\ncost $173 million including launch and insurance, Indostar
\npresident Peter Gontha said.<\/p>\n
Prime contractor for the 1.4 ton satellite was Orbital
\nSciences Corp. of Dulles, Virginia.<\/p>\n
Wednesday's mission was the 30th consecutive success of an
\nAriane-4 rocket.<\/p>\n
On Oct. 30, the second new generation Ariane-5 rocket was
\nsuccessfully launched from Kourou. A first attempt to launch the
\nmore powerful Ariane-5 in June 1996 failed.<\/p>\n
The Paris-based Arianespace company that launches the current
\nAriane-4 rocket series said it had on order firm contracts to
\nlaunch 41 heavy satellites worth an estimated $3.4 billion.<\/p>\n
The world market for commercial space services -- rockets,
\nsatellites and ground stations -- is expected to exceed $30
\nbillion this year and double by 2000.<\/p>",
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