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Ariane 5 August 29, 2017

Ariane 5 is completed for its dual-payload mission on September 5

The completion of Ariane 5’s assembly for Flight VA239 is shown during activity in the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building. At left, BSAT-4a is positioned atop the launcher, followed by the installation of Intelsat 37e (center and right), which is encapsulated in a long version of Ariane 5’s payload fairing.

The Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s ninth mission of 2017 is now fully assembled following integration of its two satellite passengers at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

During activity in Ariane 5’s Final Assembly Building, the upper payload component – containing Intelsat 37e, mounted on its SYLDA dispenser system and protected by an ogive-shaped fairing – was lowered into position over BSAT-4a, which previously was installed atop the launcher’s central core.

This step clears the way for final checkout, which will enable the launch readiness review to be conducted on September 1, followed by Ariane 5’s rollout to the Spaceport’s ELA-3 launch zone the following Monday, and an evening liftoff on Tuesday, September 5.

The upcoming mission is designated Flight VA239 in Arianespace’s numbering system, and it will deliver the two telecommunications payloads into geostationary transfer orbit.

Telecommunications satellites from long-time customers

To be deployed first during the 47-minute flight sequence is Intelsat 37e – the next satellite in Intelsat’s high-throughput EpicNG series for launch, which was built by Boeing using a 702MP spacecraft platform. This spacecraft will operate in C, Ku and Ka frequency bands, providing capacity for wireless backhaul, enterprise VSAT and mobility networks from a 342-deg. East orbital slot. Intelsat 37e has an estimated liftoff mass of 6,438 kg.

Ariane 5’s second passenger – BSAT-4a, which is being launched as part of a turnkey contract between Japan’s Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) and U.S.-based satellite manufacturer SSL – will be operated from an orbital position of 110 deg. East. It will be used for Direct-To-Home (DTH) television relay in Japan, as well as to expand the availability of advanced television services (such as 4K/8K ultra-high definition TV). BSAT-4a will weight approximately 3,520 kg. at liftoff.

Flight VA239 will continue Arianespace’s busy schedule in 2017, in which eight launches were performed during the year’s first seven months, utilizing the company’s full launcher family (two with Vega; two with Soyuz; and four using Ariane 5).

  • Larger versions of the photos above are available for downloading in the Gallery.

 

Launch window for Flight VA239:

French Guiana Washington, D.C. Universal Time (UTC) Paris
 Between 6:51 p.m. and
7:24 p.m. on Sept. 5
Between 5:51 p.m. and
6:24 p.m. on Sept. 5
Between 21:51 and
22:24 on Sept. 5
Between 11:51 p.m. and
00:24 a.m. on Sept. 5/6

 

 More details are available in the VA239  launch kit:

Ariane Flight VA239
PDF / 692 KB

Intelsat website: www.intelsat.com

B-SAT website: www.b-sat.co.jp/english

Boeing website: www.boeing.com/space

SSL website: www.sslmda.com

Ariane 5 August 21, 2017

Flight VA239: Launcher and payload preparations advance for Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 liftoff

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