Countdown to UK military launch

[Rick]

A significant milestone in the UK's biggest space project is reached on Friday with the launch of the third and final Skynet 5 satellite.

The military communications platform will be lofted by an Ariane rocket from Europe's equatorial spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana.

It will provide British forces with the secure, high-bandwidth capability they now need to run their operations.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7419751.stm

[Rick]

The launch of the third and final satellite in the UK's next-generation military space communications network has been delayed by a few days.

The Skynet 5C platform was due to fly from French Guiana on Friday but technicians called a halt to the countdown just hours before lift-off.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7419751.stm

[Rick]

An advanced satellite that will improve greatly the ability of UK military forces to communicate around the globe has been launched into space.

The Skynet 5C platform rode into orbit atop an Ariane 5 rocket from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana.

It joins the 5A and 5B satellites lofted successfully last year and which are already handling secure traffic for UK forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7451867.stm