[SatNews] All is well in French Guiana before the fireworks begin...

Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that it is in final preparations for the  launch of the HYLAS 2 communications satellite for Avanti Communications Group PLC.

Designed, manufactured and tested at Orbital’s Dulles, Virginia satellite production facilities, the HYLAS 2 spacecraft will be launched aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana on Thursday, August 2, 2012.  

The targeted launch time will be during a nearly one-hour launch window that opens at 4:54 p.m. and closes at 5:51 p.m. (EDT), subject to final pre-launch preparations and testing activities, as well as acceptable weather conditions at the time of the launch.

Following its launch and several weeks of in-orbit testing and systems verification, the satellite will be placed into commercial service from its final geosynchronous orbit position, providing data and video services to Eastern and Southern Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and across the Caucuses.

“HYLAS 2 introduces a new market application for Orbital’s commercial communications satellites, bringing broadband communications into the range of space systems we offer our customers,” said Mr. Christopher Richmond, Orbital’s Senior Vice President of Communications Satellites.  “The HYLAS 2 spacecraft is one of the most sophisticated commercial satellites we have ever built and we are looking forward to putting it to work for our Avanti customer.”