Arianespace Launch Update! The UK MoD says: We don't need no steeenkin NASA!

Arianespace's upcoming rocket launch
into orbital space takes place
in Kourou, French Guiana.
(Artistic rendering by Agence Vleeptron-Presse.)

THE LAUNCH READINESS REVIEW (RAL) took place in Kourou on Thursday, March 8, 2007 and authorized count-down operations for the SKYNET 5A & INSAT 4B launch. For its first launch of the year Arianespace will boost two payloads into orbit: the Skynet 5A military communications satellite for the British Ministry of Defence, and the Insat 4B civil communications satellite for ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organization. This launch reflects the strategic role played by Ariane, which guarantees independent access to space for European governments. It also shows that Arianespace continues to set the launch service standard for all telecom operators worldwide, whether military or civil. It will be launched from the Ariane launch complex N° 3 (ELA3), in Kourou, French Guiana.

THE ARIANE 5 "ECA" LAUNCHER LIFT-OFF for this Flight is scheduled during the night of March 10 to 11, 2007 as soon as possible within the following launch window:

GMT: Between 10:25pm and 10:58pm on March 10, 2007.
PARIS: Between 11:25pm and 11:58pm on March 10, 2007.
BANGALORE: Between 03:55am and 04:28am on March 11, 2007.
WASHINGTON: Between 05:25pm and 05:58pm on March 10, 2007.
KOUROU: Between 07:25pm and 07:58pm on March 10, 2007.

Follow the launch live on the internet: http://www.videocorner.tv/index.php?langue=en
(Starting 20 minutes before lift-off).

Video streaming will be available in RealMedia and WindowsMedia formats.

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La Revue d’Aptitude au Lancement (RAL) s’est deroulee le jeudi 8 mars ? Kourou et a autoris? les operations de chronologie pour le Vol Ariane 5 ECA – SKYNET 5A et INSAT 4B. Pour son 1er lancement de l’ann?e, Arianespace mettra en orbite deux charges utiles: le satellite de telecommunications militaires SKYNET 5A pour le Ministere britannique de la Defense et le satellite de telecommunications civiles INSAT 4B pour l’agence spatiale indienne, l’ISRO. Le lancement sera effectu? depuis l'Ensemble de Lancement Ariane n° 3 (ELA 3) a Kourou en Guyane franaaise.

Le decollage du lanceur Ariane 5 ECA est pr?vu le plus t?t possible dans la fen?tre de lancement suivante:

GMT : Entre 22h25 et 22h58, le 10 mars 2007.
PARIS : Entre 23h25 et 23h58, le 10 mars 2007.
BANGALORE : Entre 03h55 et 04h28, le 11 mars 2007.
WASHINGTON : Entre 17h25 et 17h58, le 10 mars 2007.
KOUROU : Entre 19h25 et 19h58, le 10 mars 2007.

Suivez le lancement en direct sur Internet : http://www.videocorner.tv/index.php?langue=fr
(Diffusion ? partir de H-20 mn).

Des flux aux formats RealMedia et WindowsMedia seront disponibles.