Latest Mission updates

Ariane 5 October 27, 2016

Ariane 5 rolls out to the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building in preparation for its November 17 liftoff

Ariane 5 shown on its way to the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building

The Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s Flight VA233 approaches the Final Assembly Building during its transfer from the Spaceport’s Launcher Assembly Building.

Arianespace’s sixth Ariane 5 for launch this year is ready to receive its multi-satellite payload after being transferred to the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building in French Guiana.

The heavy-lift workhorse rolled out yesterday from the Launcher Integration Building – where its core cryogenic stage, two solid boosters and upper stage were mated by production prime contractor Airbus Safran Launchers – to the Final Assembly Building, marking the formal handover to Arianespace.

Now under Arianespace’s responsibility, the launcher – an Ariane 5 ES version – is set for integration of its payload: four global positioning satellites for Europe’s Galileo navigation system.

An Ariane 5 launch for Europe

The upcoming Ariane 5 launch, designated Flight VA233 in Arianespace’s numbering system, is set for a morning departure from the Spaceport on November 17 at an exact liftoff time of 10:06:48 a.m. in French Guiana.

Weighing between 715 kg. and 717 kg. each, the quartet of European Galileo satellites will have a combined liftoff mass of 2,865 kg., and they will be deployed by Ariane 5 into circular orbit during a mission lasting just under four hours.

The Galileo satellites were built by OHB System in Bremen, Germany, with their navigation payloads provided by Surrey Satellite Technology in the United Kingdom.

Airbus Safran Launchers website: www.airbusafran-launchers.com/

The European Commission website – Galileo: ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/space/galileo/

The European Space Agency website – Galileo: www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Navigation/Galileo/What_is_Galileo

OHB System website: https://www.ohb-system.de/

Surrey Satellite Technology Limited website: www.sstl.co.uk/

Ariane 5 October 20, 2016

Four Galileo satellites are “topped off” for Arianespace’s milestone Ariane 5 launch from the Spaceport

Read more