Nov 10 1984
From The Space Library
Arianespace launched at 1:14 a.m. GMT Ariane VII varying Spacenet 2, for the GTE's Spacenet, and the second ESA European Space Agency maritime communications satellite, Marecs B-2. Marecs B-2 was placed in geostationary transfer orbit with a perigee of 199.9 kilometers and an apogee of 36,022 kilometers. Following firing on November 11 of its apogee boost motor, Marecs B-2 was injected into a near circular orbit at 135.5 °E with a perigee of 35,600 kilometers, apogee of 35,900 kilometers, and inclination of 3.190°E.
Ariane VII was the second flight of the more powerful version of the European launcher, Ariane 3, developed by ESA. Ariane 3 was 49 meters high and weighed about 237 tons at lift off. It had three stages, the first provided with two strap-on boosters that ignited just after liftoff. Ariane 3 could place payload of up to 2,580 kilograms into geostationary transfer orbit. (ESA Release Nov 12/84)
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