Kourou, French Guiana/Paris - A European Ariane 5 carrier rocket launched Friday carrying satellites from Brazil and Vietnam into orbit, the firm Arianespace said.

The rocket took off at 7:16 pm (2216 GMT) from Kourou, French Guiana, in the second of seven planned flights this year.

The 4,100-kilogramme telecommunication satellite Star One C2 for the Brazilian firm Star One was released 26 minutes after takeoff. Shortly afterward the 2,637-kilogramme VINASAT-1 Vietnamese satellite for radio, television and telephone communications was brought into position. (dpa)