An "anomaly" that appeared in the rocket during final checks prior to take-off on Monday forced the European Space Agency to postpone the launch of the Ariane-5, which will carry the nearly six-tonne Anik-2F satellite.

Built by Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS) in El Segundo, California, Anik-2F is to provide telecommunications services across North America for 15 years for the Canadian operator Telesat.

"Technicians are continuing to carry out checks on the launcher, but they are thinking right now that the flight will not be able to take place before Thursday night at the earliest," an Arianespace spokesman told AFP.

If the Thursday launch is confirmed, the rocket would blast off between 9:43 pm and 10:29 pm local time (0043 to 0129 GMT Friday) from the agency's launchpad in Kourou, French Guiana.

SPACE.WIRE