On July 1, 2009 an Ariane 5 ECA (V189) rocket-carrier was launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana to orbit the heaviest and most powerful telecommunications satellite ever launched, TerreStar 1.
Liftoff of the Ariane 5 ECA (V189) from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.
TerreStar 1 will provide voice, data and video communications to satellite/terrestrial mobile devices the size of a typical smart phone. TerreStar 1’s coverage is tailored to provide critical services for government, emergency responders, rural communities and commercial users throughout the United States and Canada. The payload mass for this launch was 7055 kg; the satellite’s launch mass was 6910 kg and the payload adapter weighed 145 kg. Attachments: | 
