Ariane 5 is ready for INSAT 4B and Skynet 5A

[BGonaSTICK]

The heavy-lift launch vehicle for Arianespace's next Ariane 5 mission has moved to the Final Assembly Building at Europe's Spaceport, where it will be fitted with its dual-satellite payload.

This milestone marks the completion of Ariane 5's basic build-up, which began January 4 in the Launcher Integration Building. Rollout of the Ariane 5 to the final assembly facility occurred on February 20, when the vehicle was transferred along a 2.5-km. semi-circular rail line.

Liftoff of the Ariane 5 is scheduled for the evening of March 9. It will be the Ariane launcher family's 175th mission – and the 31st for Ariane 5. The flight will carry India's INSAT 4B telecommunications satellite, along with the Skynet 5A secure military communications relay platform for the United Kingdom.

Arianespace's upcoming launch is to kick off a busy year for the company, which is targeting six heavy-lift Ariane 5 missions in 2007, along with three medium-class Soyuz launches by its Starsem affiliate.

Payload lift performance for the Ariane 5 will be 8,700 kg., of which 7,785 kg. is the combined mass of INSAT 4B and Skynet 5A. The remaining mass includes the satellite payload adapters and Ariane 5's multiple deployment system, which enables the launcher to perform its trademark dual-spacecraft launches.