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Ariane 5 September 4, 2017

Ariane 5 reaches the launch zone for tomorrow’s dual-satellite mission

The Ariane 5 launcher for Arianespace Flight VA239 – outfitted with the Intelsat 37e and BSAT-4a satellite passengers – approaches its launch zone at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

Arianespace has delivered another Ariane 5 to the launch zone at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, positioning the heavy-lift vehicle for its September 5 flight with two telecommunications satellites: Intelsat 37e and BSAT-4a.

Riding atop a mobile launch table, Ariane 5 was transferred to the ELA-3 launch zone from the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building – where its two passengers had been integrated as part of pre-flight preparations.

With the rollout now completed, the final countdown will begin for a liftoff tomorrow at the start of a 33-min. launch window that opens at 6:51 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

For this 239th launch of an Ariane-series vehicle – designated Flight VA239 in Arianespace’s numbering system – the payload lift performance to geostationary transfer orbit is an estimated 10,838 kg. The total factors in the mass of Intelsat 37e and BSAT-4a, plus the launch vehicle’s dual-passenger dispenser system and satellite integration hardware.

Intelsat 37e is riding as the upper passenger in Ariane 5’s payload arrangement, to be released 29 minutes into tomorrow’s mission. The spacecraft, with a liftoff mass estimated at 6,438 kg., was built for Intelsat by Boeing using a 702MP platform, and will operate from an orbital position of 342 deg. East.

BSAT-4a – whose launch is part of a turnkey contract between Japan’s Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) and U.S.-based manufacturer SSL – will be deployed from Ariane 5’s lower passenger position. Based on the SSL 1300 platform, this satellite’s separation will occur 47 minutes after liftoff – completing Arianespace’s September 5 mission. BSAT-4a has an estimated liftoff mass of 3,520 kg. and will operate from a 110 deg. East orbital slot.

  • Larger version of the photo above is 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 September 1, 2017

Ariane 5 is cleared for launch on Arianespace’s upcoming heavy-lift mission from French Guiana

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