'Ariane' to launch Malaysian satellite

'Ariane' to launch Malaysian satellite

LE BOURGET, France (AFP): The European space rocket Ariane has
been chosen to launch Malaysia's second satellite, MEASAT-2, in
October next year, officials said yesterday.

The rocket's makers Arianespace and Malaysian consortium
Binariang Sdn Bhd signed a contract for the launch in the
presence of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, they said.
The amount of the contract was not revealed.

The Asian country's first satellite, MEASAT-1, is to be
blasted into orbit by an Ariane rocket this December from its
launch site in Kourou in French Guyana.

The 1,500 kilos satellites are designed to provide multiple
communications services not only for Malaysia, but for the entire
Southeast Asian region including the Australian state of
Queensland, Vietnam and Indonesia.