High-power European broadband satellite set for launch from French Guiana

An Ariane 5 rocket is set to blast off Wednesday from French Guiana — a day later than planned due to a poor weather forecast Tuesday — with a Eutelsat-owned satellite designed to beam broadband internet signals across Europe from a position in geostationary orbit. Billed as the most powerful communications satellite ever built in Europe, the new spacecraft is riding as a solo passenger on the European Ariane 5 rocket set for liftoff from the Guiana Space Center, the European-run spaceport in French Guiana. The launch window Wednesday opens at 5:45 p.m EDT (2145 GMT; 6:45 p.m. French Guiana time) and extends for an hour and 26 minutes... More

(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Sep 7)