Article Posted on : - Dec 29, 2010

The Ariane 5 rocket at the launch pad. An Arianespace photo

PARIS (BNS): The launch of two telecommunications satellites by an Ariane 5 rocket has been delayed by a day in the wake of inclement weather conditions.

The rocket, carrying the HISPASAT 1E and KOREASAT 6 satellites for Spain and South Korea respectively, was scheduled to lift off from the French Guiana spaceport at 6:26 p.m. local time (GMT 2126) Tuesday.

However, the year-ending Ariane 5 mission was postponed due to winds at altitude over the Spaceport in French Guiana, Arianespace said.

The launcher and its two payloads remain in a “safe” mode on the Spaceport’s launch pad, and are ready for a potential new countdown on Wednesday in a launch window that begins at 6:27 p.m. local time in French Guiana, it said.

While the HISPASAT 1E will provide high-quality capacity for Spanish operator HISPASAT, the KOREASAT 6 will be operated by the Republic of Korea’s KT Corporation, delivering communications and broadcasting services across all of South Korea.