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Final Ariane 4 mission on 12 February 2003
PARIS: The final mission of an Ariane 4 has been given the green light for liftoff following the launch readiness review performed at the Spaceport in French Guiana. The liftoff of Flight 159 is confirmed for 12 February during a one-hour launch window that opens at 7 am GMT, 8 am Paris time.
The final Ariane 4 mission will mark the 116th launch for the Ariane 4 family, which entered service in 1988. Flight 159’s review validated the readiness of the Ariane 4, its Intelsat 907 telecommunications satellite payload, the Guiana Space Centre’s infrastructure and the downrange tracking stations.
Flight 159 uses an Ariane 44L version of the family, which is equipped with four large strap-on liquid boosters for additional thrust during liftoff and initial ascent. The upcoming mission will be the 40th flight of an Ariane 44L.
Intelsat 907 will have a mass of approximately 4,680 kg at liftoff, and is designed for an operational lifetime of 13 years. The spacecraft was built by Space Systems/Loral and carries 76 C-band and 22 Ku-band transponders (in 36 MHz equivalent units).
Intelsat 907 will be the 23rd Intelsat spacecraft launched by Ariane. During its operational lifetime, the workhorse Ariane 4 launcher family demonstrated Arianespace’s capability to match up and launch multiple spacecraft on a single mission – a procedure that will continue with even larger satellites on the successor Ariane 5.
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Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
