Arianespace completed its final Ariane 5 launch of 2018 and penultimate overall mission for the year. The rocket lifted off from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana (CSG) carrying a telecommunication satellite for India and a meteorological one for South Korea.
The mission lasted approximately 34 minutes from takeoff to separation of satellites.
GSAT-11 is a telecommunication satellite designed and manufactured by the Indian Space Agency. It is “the largest satellite ever built” by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), said a statement from Arianespace. GSAT-11 will reduce the digital divide in the Indian subcontinent. Its lifespan is estimated at more than 15 years.
GEO-KOMPSAT-2A, developed by the Korea Space Research Institute for the South Korean Government, will provide data for weather forecasting and monitoring of space weather. Its life is estimated at 10 years.
This is the sixth and final launch of an Ariane 5 of the year 2018 since French Guiana.
