ASTRA 5B Satellite Launch Scheduled for Friday, March 21

SES S.A. announced today that Arianespace has scheduled the launch of its new satellite ASTRA 5B for March 21, 2014. The satellite will be launched into space from the European Space Centre in French Guiana on board an Ariane 5 ECA rocket between 19:05 pm and 20:02 pm local time (23.05 -- 00.02 CET; 18.05 -- 19.02 EDT). ASTRA 5B was built by Airbus Defence and Space (formerly Astrium) in Toulouse, France, using a Eurostar E3000 platform. The multi-mission satellite will be located at 31.5 degrees East and carry Ku and Ka-band payloads for the delivery of high-performance Direct-to-Home (DTH) in Eastern Europe and the neighboring markets. More

(Source: Wall Street Journal - Mar 20)