It's a 'go' for Arianespace's 2nd Ariane 5 mission of 2008

(April 16, 2008) -- The second Ariane 5 flight of 2008 was given a green light for its April 18 liftoff following today's launch readiness review at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

This review, which is conducted prior to each mission, validated the readiness of Ariane 5, its dual-passenger payload of the Star One C2 and VINASAT-1 satellites, the launch infrastructure at Europe's Spaceport, and the network of downrange tracking stations.

All is now ready for the Ariane 5's rollout tomorrow from its Final Assembly Building to the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone. This will clear the way for a final countdown to Friday's liftoff, which is scheduled at the 7:16 p.m. opening of a 1-hour 7-min. launch window.

The launch readiness review was conducted in Arianespace's Galilee operations facility at Europe's Spaceport, and brought together all of the mission's key participants.

Arianespace's April 18 launch will be the 34th commercial flight for Ariane 5. The configuration used for Friday's mission is the launcher's most powerful version - an Ariane 5 ECA. Its total payload delivery performance on this flight is approximately 7,760 kg. - which includes the 4,100-kg. mass of Star One C2 and the 2,637-kg. VINASAT-1, along with integration hardware such as the payload adapters and SYLDA 5 satellite dispenser system.

VINASAT-1 is the mission's lower payload, and is installed inside the 6.4-meter tall SYLDA 5 dispenser. Riding above it is Star One C2, which has been encapsulated in Ariane 5's 17-meter-tall payload fairing.

The VINASAT-1 spacecraft is Vietnam's first telecommunications satellite, and will be positioned at an orbital slot of 132 deg. East after its deployment by Ariane 5. Built by U.S.-based Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems for the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Corporation, VINASAT-1 carries a payload of 12 Ku-band and 8 C-band transponders.

Star One C2 was produced by Thales Alenia Space, and is to be utilized by Brazil's Star One telecommunications operator. It carries a payload of 28 C-band transponders, 16 Ku-band transponders, and 1 X-band transponder, and will be located at an orbital position of 70 deg. West.

As preparations for the April 18 mission are nearing completion in the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building, another Ariane 5 is taking shape in the nearby Launcher Integration Building. This vehicle also is a heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA, and it will carry another dual-satellite payload.

Source : Arianespace

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