Lifting off on its 32nd mission after a nearly two-week delay, Europe's Ariane rocket carried a European experimental telecommunications satellite into space.

Officials called Tuesday night's launch from this jungle base on the northeastern shoulder of South America a "complete success."The Ariane-3 rocket placed the Olympus 1 satellite into orbit.

Produced by British Aerospace for the European Space Agency, the 5,720-pound communications satellite has a 10-year life.

View Comments

It carries a direct broadcast payload with two channels, one for Italian television, the other for European use.

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.