An Ariane 5 rocket carrying two satellites, ASTRA 2F and GSAT-10, successfully put its payload into orbit late Friday, European operator Arianespace announced.

The fifth such launch of the Ariane 5 this year, the rocket took off at 6:18 pm (2118 GMT) from Kourou, in French Guiana. Arianespace broadcast the launch online.

"We are continuing our series of records with this 51st success in a row," said Arianespace chief executive Jean-Yves Le Gall.

The ASTRA 2F, built by Astrium, which had a lift-off mass of six tonnes, will provide satellite television links to Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

The GSAT-10, which has a lift-off mass of 3.4 tonnes and is operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), carried equipment for GPS and GEO navigation systems.

The next Arianespace launch, of two European Galileo navigation satellites, is scheduled for October 12.