KOUROU, French Guiana (Reuters) -- Western Europe's 113th Ariane rocket is set to launch two satellites on Wednesday including AfriStar aimed at radio broadcasts to Africa.

The Washington-based WorldSpace Corp. has billed its $1 billion project as a communications revolution in Africa. Two more satellites to service Asia and Latin America are set for launch next year.

"The basic mission is to improve the lot of underprivileged people through information and education using satellite technology," D.K. Sachdev, WorldSpace senior vice-president for engineering and operations, told reporters.

"That's the mission we want fulfilled and the satellite we will launch will be one major step towards that mission," he said during a visit to Ariane's launch center in Kourou, French Guiana, on the northeast coast of South America, late last month.

Sachdev said the company will operate in three regions -- Africa, Asia and the Americas -- using a new system of digital radio receivers to provide broadcasters the means to reach populations who normally don't have access to broadcasts.

Prime contractor for the system is France's Alcatel Space, who will provide the satellites and ground facilities. The radio receivers are to be made by Japanese electronic giants JVC, Panasonic, Hitachi and Sony and are expected to sell for $200 each.

WorldSpace has not disclosed who were its financial backers. Sachdev said it was entirely privately financed, and he excluded financing from capital markets.

Critics say the $200 price tag for radio receivers and additional subscription cost will be too steep for much of the target market in Africa.

They say Latin America may not be attracted to the system as television and radio reception is already available in even the most remote areas.

Also aboard the Ariane-4 rocket will be the GE-5 satellite that will provide television services to North America.

Wednesday's flight will use an Ariane 44L rocket equipped with four liquid strap-on boosters, the most powerful version of the Ariane-4 series. It will lift 4,946 kilograms (10,881 pounds) into orbit, an all-time weight record for Ariane-4,

The mission comes a week after a new generation Ariane-5 rocket was successfully launched from Kourou in its third and final qualification flight. The Paris-based Arianespace company that launches the Ariane rocket series said it had 39 satellites on order to be launched worth an estimated $3.4 billion.

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