EVRY, France (AP) – After three delays, an Ariane-5 rocket lifted off from a launch pad in South America, placing the heaviest commercial telecommunications satellite ever into orbit.

The rocket roared into space from Kourou, French Guyana, at 9:44 p.m. Saturday local time, Arianespace said.

About a half hour later, the rocket put the Anik F2 telecommunications satellite into orbit. At nearly six tons, the satellite is the largest of its kind the world.

The satellite, owned by Canada’s Telesat, is to help ensure high-speed Internet access and digital telecommunications in North America for at least 15 years from its position over the Pacific Ocean.

The launch was Ariane’s second of five planned this year. It marked the 163rd Ariane mission since the European launcher first began operating in 1979. The next – involving the latest version of the Ariane-5 – is planned for October.

On Friday, an “anomaly” was found on the rocket’s launch pad, prompting the third delay in less than a week, said Arianespace, the commercial arm of the 13-country European Space Agency.

The launch, originally scheduled Monday, was first delayed because of an electrical problem. A second attempt on Thursday was canceled because of bad weather.

AP-ES-07-18-04 0539EDT