4th Ariane 5 of 2008 is Delivered to Arianespace

(June 23, 2008) -- The Ariane 5 for Arianespace's July 4 heavy-lift mission nears the Final Assembly Building, where it will be fitted with the ProtoStar I and BADR-6 satellite payloads.

Arianespace has taken delivery of the fourth Ariane 5 in 2008, maintaining its accelerated flight pace during the busiest year of commercial mission activity for this workhorse launch vehicle.

The handover occurred with Ariane 5's transfer from the Launcher Integration Building at Europe's Spaceport - where its build-up was performed under responsibility of prime contractor EADS Astrium, to the Final Assembly Building - where Arianespace will oversee integration of the mission's ProtoStar I and BADR-6 payloads.

In its trademark dual-passenger configuration, the heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA will carry ProtoStar I in the upper payload position, with BADR-6 riding below it inside the SLYDA 5 dispenser system. Liftoff is scheduled for an evening launch window on July 4.

Source : Arianespace

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