The EUTELSAT 172B satellite of Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) was successfully launched into space tonight by an Ariane 5 rocket that took off at 23.45 GMT (20.45 Kourou time, 01.45 CET). The first telemetry data has been received from the 3.5 tonne satellite and preparations are now ongoing for solar array deployment on 3 June and deployment 22 hours later of robotic arms holding the satellite