Ariane rocket orbits satellites for Africa and N. America

KOUROU, French Guyana (Reuters) - An Ariane-5 rocket blasted off from French Guyana on Friday putting into orbit telecommunications satellites for Africa and North America, the six Ariane mission this year.

The rocket was launched from Europe's space base in Kourou, on the northeast coast of South America, at 6.41 p.m. (4:41 p.m. EDT), space officials said.

Twenty-seven minutes after lift-off the rocket placed into a preliminary orbit RASCOM-QAF1 a telecoms satellite designed to provide service throughout Africa.

Six minutes later the rocket released Horizons-2 for Washington-based operator Intelsat. This satellite will serve the United States, Canada and parts of the Caribbean.