科技英语新闻:Satellites Yahsat Y1A, Intelsat New Dawn lifted by Ariane 5

PARIS, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Heavy load launcher Ariane 5 lifted off two communication satellites, Yahsat Y1A and Intelsat New Dawn, at around 6:37 p.m. local time (2137 GMT) on Friday from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.

Yahsat Y1A is the first United Arab Emirates satellite launched by Arianespace. It is built by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space and will be positioned at 52.5 degrees East. With a design life of 15 years, it will be operated by the Al Yah Satellite Communications Company, a telecommunications company indirectly controlled by the Abu Dhabi Government.

Weighing around 5,935 kilograms at lift-off, Yahsat Y1A was expected to be separated first around 27 minutes after the launcher started the flight.

The second passenger Intelsat New Dawn was built by Orbital Sciences Corporation and weighs about 3,000 kilograms. Also with a designed life span of 15 years, it is planned to be positioned at 32.8 degrees East.

Via the second mission of Ariane 5 in 2011, Yahsat Y1A will provide customized relay services for the government and commercial sectors in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Southwest Asia, while Intelsat New Dawn will work as a part of the global Intelsat fleet, offering service for Africa.

This launch, the 201st of an Ariane family vehicle since 1979, brought to 22 the number of Intelsat satellites serving Africa, according to the launching company.

Originally scheduled for liftoff on March 30, this dual-payload mission was delayed following an interruption of the final countdown when an incorrect displacement of one of the engine's actuators was detected, Arianespace said in a statement. The launching center planned to have six liftoffs of Ariane 5 through this year.