Ariane 5 is transferred to the launch zone for its May 3 heavy-lift mission

[BGonaSTICK]

Arianespace's next Ariane 5 is in the launch zone at Europe's Spaceport, ready for liftoff tomorrow evening with its dual-passenger payload of the ASTRA 1L and Galaxy 17 telecommunications spacecraft.

The Ariane 5 rolled out from its Final Assembly Building this morning, covering the 2.8-km. distance to the ELA-3 launch zone in one hour. Ariane 5's massive mobile launch table was then locked in place, clearing the way for a final countdown leading to the May 3 liftoff during a 44-minute launch window that opens at 7:29 p.m. Kourou time (22h29 GMT, 00:29 a.m. in Paris and 6:29 p.m. in Washington, D.C.).

This Ariane 5 will weigh approximately 774.3 metric tons when fueled, and its total payload lift performance is to set a new record for commercial missions to a standard geostationary transfer orbit.

The 4.505-kg. ASTRA 1L satellite is riding in the Ariane 5's upper passenger position, and will be deployed 27 minutes into the flight. The 4,100-kg. Galaxy 17 spacecraft is to be released from the launch vehicle approximately six minutes later.

Once in orbit, ASTRA 1L will operate at 19.2° East - ASTRA's prime position for delivering broadcast services to continental Europe, where it also will transmit the company's increasing number of high-definition TV channels. Another role of the spacecraft is to extend ASTRA's coverage from the Canary Islands in the West to the Russian border in the East, and it will further strengthen SES ASTRA`s unique in-orbit back-up scheme. ASTRA 1L carries 29 Ku-band and 2 Ka-band transponders, and was built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems.

The Galaxy 17 spacecraft is designed for a 15-year operational life, providing television and telecommunications services for customers of the Intelsat organization. Manufactured by Thales Alenia Space, it is equipped with 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders.

The mission is Arianespace's second heavy-lift flight of 2007, and it sustains the pace that targets a total of six Ariane 5s to be launched during the year.

[Analoguesat]

Heres a nice pic of the Ariane 5 rollout. The payload weight is just shy of 10 tons

[BGonaSTICK]

Stupid place to build a block of flats though.