The authorization followed today’s successful launch readiness review conducted at the Spaceport in French Guiana.  This procedure – held prior to all Arianespace missions – validated the “go” status of the launcher, its dual payload of the EUTELSAT 25B/Es’hail 1 and GSAT-7 satellites, the Spaceport’s infrastructure and the system of downrange tracking stations.

With today’s review, the Ariane 5 is now cleared for rollout tomorrow from the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone – where it will be readied for liftoff on August 29 during a 50-minute launch window opening at 5:30 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

The Ariane 5 is to deliver an estimated total lift performance of 9,790 kg. – including EUTELSAT 25B/Es’hail 1 and GSAT-7, along with hardware for the launcher’s dual-payload deployment system.

EUTELSAT 25B/Es’hail 1 – which was built by Space Systems/Loral (SSL) – will ride in the upper position of Ariane 5’s payload “stack,” to be deployed first during the 34-minute flight sequence. Once in orbit, the spacecraft will be used by European telecommunications operator Eutelsat Communications and Qatar’s Es’hailSat Satellite Company to deliver Ku-band television broadcasting, telecommunications and government services for the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.  Its Ka-band capability will open business opportunities in these regions for both operators.

To be released second as the mission’s lower passenger, India’s GSAT-7 was developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to provide the country with UHF, S-band, C-band and Ku-band relay capacity over the India land mass.  The satellite is adapted from India’s I-2K spacecraft bus, which also was used for the INSAT-3D satellite – lofted by Arianespace’s most recent Ariane 5 mission, performed on July 25.

The launch this Thursday is designated Flight VA215 in Arianespace’s numbering system, signifying the 215th flight of an Ariane family vehicle.