“Go” Given For Fifth Ariane Mission

The green light has been given to Arianespace for the dual payload Ariane 5 mission. Liftoff should occur today, Friday, November 9th, as the launch readiness review at the Spaceport in French Guiana was completed yesterday. This review is conducted prior to every Ariane mission. The review validates the readiness of the Ariane 5, the Skynet 5B and Star One C1 satellite payloads, plus the Spaceport’s infrastructure and downrange tracking stations network. The heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA will be transferred from the final assembly building to the ELA-3 launch zone. The lift-off is scheduled to occur during a 55-minute launch window today that opens at 7:04 p.m. local time.




Riding in the upper payload position is Skynet 5B. Astrium produced this satellite for an in-orbit delivery to Paradigm Secure Communications. Skynet 5B has a liftoff mass of 4,635-kg., and when operational, it will handle secure communications services for the United Kingdom’s armed forces, NATO and other countries. The Ariane 5’s lower passenger on Ariane 5 is Star One C1. This is a 4,100 kg. satellite built by Thales Alenia Space for Brazilian satellite operator Star One. Equipped with a mixed payload of C–, Ku- and X-band transponders, it will provide communications, multimedia and broadband Internet services over South America—Evry-Courcouronnes, France