Ariane rocket launch set for Friday

PARIS, April 6 (Reuters) - An Ariane rocket carrying two telecommunications satellites initially scheduled for launch last month from French Guiana is now slated for liftoff on Friday, the Arianespace company said.

"Following additional checks, Arianespace has decided to restart the final countdown for its mission with the ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 satellites," the company said in a statement issued from its headquarters near Paris.

"Liftoff of the Ariane 5 launcher is now set for the night of Friday, April 9," it said.

Its first launch attempt on March 26 was halted hours before scheduled liftoff when an anomaly occurred in a launcher subsystem.

ASTRA 3B will provide direct-to-home broadcasting throughout Europe for Luxembourg-based SES S.A. (SESFd.PA) and COMSATBw-2 is designed for secure military communications for Germany's Ministry of Defence. (Reporting by Alexander Miles; editing by David Stamp)