Ariane rocket flies into space

Europe’s most powerful rocket, carrying a payload of precious satellites, soared into space today from its South American base more than two years after its inaugural launch ended in disaster.

The Ariane-5 ECA, the world’s most powerful commercial launcher, took off at 9.03 Irish time from Kourou, French Guiana, a day after the launch was originally scheduled and after a slight delay when the countdown was interrupted.

The 780-ton rocket carried a US-Spanish satellite, the ITAR-EUR, a micro-satellite of the European Space Agency and an instrument platform to provide data on the launch.

The more than 7.3-ton payload was to be thrust into orbit 31 minutes after the launch, according to officials at Arianespace, the commercial arm of the European launcher.

The unmanned rocket had been set to take off on Friday, but was delayed for 24 hours because of an anomaly discovered in the ground equipment, Arianespace said.

Two telecommunications satellites were lost on the doomed inaugural flight on December 11, 2002.

The rocket, out of control, was destroyed three minutes after the launch.