An Ariane-5 rocket blasted off Thursday evening from a launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying a new-generation French military satellite and a US commercial communications satellite, according to the launch operator Arianespace.

The rocket lifted off from the European Space Agency's South American space base at 2232 GMT, marking the 167th Ariane mission since the European launcher first began operating in 1979.

The 6.5-ton payload includes a Syracuse 3A French military radio satellite and Galaxy 15 for the US communications operator PanAmSat.

Both satellites were released after the rocket reached an altitude of 1400 km above earth -- Syracuse 3A off around half an hour after launch, seven minutes ahead of the release of Galaxy 15.

Built by the Franco-Italain group Alcatel Alenia Space, Syracuse 3A has an expected lifespan of 12 years. It is designed to integrate with Britain's Skynet and Italy's Sicral under a NATO arrangement to allow military satellite communications capacity to increase 10-fold, with improved security against surveillance and interference. It will also provide important communications in difficult-to-access areas.

Galaxy 15, built by Orbital Sciences Corporation for PanAmSat, is designed to last 15 years and broadcast digital video, high-definition television and video-on-demand to the United States.

After Thursday's launch, Arianespace Chief Executive Officer Jean-Yves Le Gall said, "It's the third success of the year, and it's not over."

The Ariane 5 has made 23 launches in its career. Arianespace, the commercial arm of the 13-country European Space Agency, hopes to launch two more Ariane-5 rockets this year from the French Guiana launch pad.

Source: Xinhua