Ariane 5 blasts off

Ariane 5 blasting off at the Kourou base in French Guiana, 8 July. Photo: ESA/CNES/ARIANESPAC E/AFP/Getty Images

40th Ariane 5 rocket launches ProtoStar-1 and Badr-6 satellites
An Ariane 5ECA rocket has successfully launched two satellites. The European carrier rocket lifted off from ELA-3 (Launch Area 3) at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, South America, at 21:47 GMT this evening, carrying the ProtoStar-1 and Badr-6 spacecraft.