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Arianespace—From Clean Room To Payload Prep (Launch)

[SatNews] The launch campaign for Arianespace’s fourth Ariane 5 flight of 2013 has moved into the next phase of preparation as its heavy-lift workhorse is now in the Final Assembly Building at French Guiana, and the larger of its two payloads has been positioned for fueling.


EUTELSAT 25B/Es’hail 1 is transferred from the Spaceport’s S1B clean room to the S5 payload preparation center, where it will be fueled. This repositioning process employed the CCU3 spacecraft transportation container, which provides a protective environment for the satellite during the move.
Photo courtesy of Arianespace.

Ariane 5’s transfer from the Launcher Integration Building—where it was assembled by industrial prime contractor Astrium Space Transportation—to the Final Assembly Building marks the vehicle’s formal delivery to Arianespace, which has responsibility for integrating the dual-passenger payload, followed by the launch and delivery into geostationary transfer orbit. The launcher’s transfer process used a dual rail system that links the two buildings together, and also enables the completed Ariane 5’s rollout to the ELA-3 launch zone.

This upcoming mission, designated VA215 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system, will loft the EUTELSAT 25B/Es’hail 1 and GSAT-7 communications satellites.

Hours before the Ariane 5’s rollout to the Final Assembly Building, EUTELSAT 25B/Es’hail 1 was moved from the Spaceport’s S1B clean room facility – having completed its pre-launch checkout – to the S5 payload preparation center for fueling. This repositioning was made by road with the large CCU3 spacecraft transportation container, which has an inflatable airtight docking seal to facilitate the relocation process.

Once fueled, EUTELSAT 25B/Es’hail 1 will have a liftoff mass of more than 6,000 kg. The satellite is to provide Ku-band relay capacity for European telecommunications operator Eutelsat and Qatar’s Es’hailSat Satellite Company in meeting demand for fast-growing applications in the Middle East and North Africa, including video broadcasting, enterprise communications and government services. In addition, it will initiate a Ka-band capability that opens business opportunities for both users.

EUTELSAT 25B/Es’hail 1 was built by Space Systems/Loral (SSL) based on the spacecraft manufacturer’s 1300 satellite bus, and is to ride in the upper position of Ariane 5’s payload “stack.” Below it will be Flight VA215’s co-passenger, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s GSAT-7, with an estimated liftoff mass of 2,550kg.