On November 9, the world’s leading satellite launch service provider Arianespace announced that the launch of two satellites, Spaceway 2 and Telkom 2, using the Ariane 5 ECA rocket, will be postponed by 48 hours. The launches were originally scheduled for the nights of November 10 and 11.
The reason given by the company for the delay is to allow time for additional testing. Consequently, the launch of the two satellites is now expected to take place on the night of Saturday and Sunday, specifically from 12:55 AM to 1:29 AM on Friday.
With a launch weight of 6.1 tons, Spaceway 2 is being launched under a contract with DirecTV, a U.S. company, to ensure television services in the United States. The Telkom 2 satellite, weighing nearly 2 tons, is being launched at the request of PT Telkom Indonesia and will provide telecommunications services for Indonesia.
The Ariane 5 ECA rocket, weighing 10 tons, is considered the most powerful rocket ever built. The satellite launch was initially scheduled for June 24, 2005, but was delayed due to technical issues with one of the two satellites.
