Europe's largest rocket, the Ariane 5, blasted off from Kourou in French Guiana today, December 6th 2012 at 20:40 UTC carrying the American DIRECTV-14 satellite and Indian GSAT-16 satellite into orbit. Liftoff was delayed from December 4th due to high winds.

DIRECTV-14 weighs 6,300kg and has 76 Ka-Band transponders as well as 18 National Reverse transponders for television to North and South America from it's position at 99 degrees West.

GSAT-16 weighs 3,180kg and carries 24 C-band transponders and 12 Ku-band transponders for communication and television to India from it's position at 55 degrees East.