Ariane 5 rocket lifts off with two communications satellites

Arianespace successfully sent two communications satellites into space on Thursday, Aug. 20, using the company’s Ariane 5 heavy launcher. Liftoff occurred at 4:34 p.m. EDT (5:34 local time; 20:34 GMT) from the Ariane Launch Complex No. 3 (ELA 3) at the Europe’s spaceport located in Kourou, French Guiana. Today was Arianespace’s 225th mission to date in the company’s history (VA225). It delivered the EUTELSAT 8 West B and Intelsat 34 comsats into a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The 180 ft. (55.9 m) tall rocket, during the first phase of the ascent, was powered by the Vulcain 2 main engine of the Core Stage and the two Solid Rocket Boosters which burned for two minutes and 24 seconds before separating from the launch vehicle. Then, the Vulcain 2 engine alone powered the vehicle will until the separation of the Payload Fairing three minutes and 21 seconds into the flight. More

(Source: SpaceFlight Insider - Aug 21)