AN Ariane rocket put two satellites into orbit yesterday to relay television, telecommunications and other services for European and Japanese operators, European space officials said.

The Ariane-5 rocket blasted off from the European Space Agency's launch centre in Kourou, French Guiana on the northeast coast of South America.

The W3B satellite for European operator Eutelsat is designed to provide direct television broadcasting, telecommmunications, data and broadband services throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.

"W3B is in the most attractiveneighborhood for digital TV in central Europe and the Indian Ocean islands," Eutelsat chief executive Michel de Rosen told reporters.

"This spacecraft will also deliver new bandwidth and coverage for markets in Africa that have high demand for satellites to help drive economic and social development," he said.

The BSAT-3b satellite for the Japanese operator Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation will provide direct-to-home television broadcasting throughout Japan.

Thursday marked the 39th consecutive successful launch of an Ariane rocket.

• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)
• european [juərə´pi:ən] a.欧洲的 n.欧洲人 (初中英语单词)
• operator [´ɔpəreitə] n.操作者；接线员 (初中英语单词)
• attractive [ə´træktiv] a.有吸引力；诱人的 (初中英语单词)
• neighborhood [´neibəhud] n.邻居；邻近；附近 (初中英语单词)
• indian [´indiən] a.印度的 n.印度人 (初中英语单词)
• executive [ig´zekjutiv] a.行政的 n.行政官 (初中英语单词)
• system [´sistəm] n.系统，体系，制度 (初中英语单词)
• corporation [,kɔ:pə´reiʃən] n.社团；法人；公司 (初中英语单词)
• launch [lɔ:ntʃ] vt.发动 n.发射；汽艇 (高中英语单词)
• northeast [,nɔ:θ´i:st] n.东北 a.东北的 (高中英语单词)
• rocket [´rɔkit] n.火箭；火箭发动机 (英语六级单词)
• satellite [´sætəlait] n.(人造)卫星；随从 (英语六级单词)
• consecutive [kən´sekjutiv] a.连续的；连贯的 (英语六级单词)