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Successful mission for Ariane

KOUROU, French Guiana -- An Ariane rocket has successfully placed two military communications satellites in orbit in what is being seen as an important milestone for the European Space Agency (ESA).

It is the first time two such satellites have been carried on a single Ariane.

The Ariane 44L rocket -- the most powerful version of the Ariane-4 series -- blasted off at 8:05 p.m. (2305 GMT) from the ESA's South American launch centre at Kourou, in French Guiana.

Space officials said just 25 minutes later both satellites -- one Italian, one British -- were placed in orbit.

Italy's SICRAL satellite is the country's first military communications satellite. A Defence Ministry official said others may be ordered if it functions properly.

He put the cost of the SICRAL programme, satellite, launch and ground facilities, at $460 million.

Britain's SKYNET 4F satellite will provide strategic and tactical communications services for the British armed forces when it reaches its final orbit above the Gulf of Guinea.

Keith Smith of the Britain's Defence Procurement Agency put the cost of the SKYNET 4F programme at $185 million.

Arianespace -- the commercial arm of the 13-nation ESA -- said it has firm orders to launch a total of 46 satellites and automated transfer vehicles for the International Space Station.

The orders are worth an estimated $3.9 billion.

Reuters contributed to this report.



RELATED STORIES:
Blast-offs mark European space boom
November 16, 2000
Europe launches 100th Ariane mission
October 29, 2000
Communications satellite blasts into orbit on ESA rocket
January 24, 2000

RELATED SITES:
European Space Agency
Arianespace
SICRAL
UK Defence Procurement Agency

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