Liftoff of Ariane 5 and largest MEASAT-3b satellite ever built for Malaysian-based Asian operator MEASAT

Flight 218 is the 75th Ariane 5 launch and the fourth in 2014.
For the 61st consecutive time, Ariane 5 has successfully launched from Kourou, French Guiana, once again confirming the reliability of the European launcher developed and built by prime contractor Airbus Defence and Space, the world’s second largest space company. For this launch, the company was also the prime contractor for MEASAT-3b, the largest satellite ever built for Malaysian-based Asian operator MEASAT.

The Ariane 5 ECA (Cryogenic Evolution type A), the most powerful version in the ARIANE 5 range, used for this flight.transported 10,088 kg into geostationary transfer orbit, 9,167 kg of which is made up by the two satellites MEASAT-3b and OPTUS-10 and the rest by Sylda, Airbus Defence and Space’s dual launch system, and by adapter structures for the satellites.