Thu, Aug 05, 2010
Launch Set For 1745 Local Time Thursday In French
Guiana
An Ariane 5 is now poised for liftoff Thursday evening from
French Guiana following its rollout to the Spaceport's ELA-3
launch zone.
Ariane 5 In Place For Launch
The heavy-lift vehicle was transferred to the launch pad
Wednesday morning under sunny skies, emerging at 1100 local
time from the Final Assembly Building - where the Ariane 5 ECA
version had been fitted with a pair of Thales Alenia Space-produced
satellite payloads: NILESAT 201 and RASCOM-QAF1R.
This step clears the way for final preparations and the
countdown to liftoff, which will take place during a 109-minute
launch window that opens at 1745 local time in French Guiana on
August 4.
Riding as the upper passenger in Ariane 5's payload "stack" is
NILESAT 201, which will be released at just under 29 minutes into
the flight. Utilizing a Spacebus 4000B2 platform, this relay
platform for Egyptian operator Nilesat features 24 Ku-band and 4
Ka-band transponders, and will weigh approximately 3,200 kg. at
launch.
RASCOM-QAF1R - which has a liftoff mass of about 3,050 kg. -
will be deployed from Ariane 5's lower passenger position at
approximately 33 minutes into the flight. This spacecraft will
ensure service continuity for the RascomStar-QAF operator and its
customers, providing African access to advanced communications and
information technologies. It is based on the Spacebus 4000B3
platform, and is equipped with 12 Ku-band and 8 C-band
transponders.
Tomorrow's mission is designated V196, signifying the 196th
launch of an Ariane family vehicle since 1979.
The August 4 mission also will be Ariane 5's third flight of
2010, which follows two previous dual-payload launches: the June 26
mission that orbited the Arabsat-5A and COMS spacecraft, and the
May 21 launch with ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2.
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