News

Latest Mission Updates

• February 3, 2012
  Vega Flight VV01:
  Vega's inaugural flight is set for February 13 at the Spaceport
• January 26, 2012
  Vega Flight VV01:
  Vega's first flight: Assembly is completed for the no. 1 launcher
• January 20, 2012
  Ariane Flight VA205:
  The third Automated Transfer Vehicle is fueled for its March launch on Ariane 5
• Archive

Mission Update

Integration of the HOT BIRD™ 9 payload is completed for Ariane 5's year-end mission

December 10, 2008

The upper payload component for Arianespace’s upcoming dual-satellite Ariane 5 mission is now complete at Europe’s Spaceport, following the encapsulation of HOT BIRD™ 9 inside the launcher’s payload fairing.

HOT BIRD 9 will be the upper passenger on Ariane 5’s December 20 mission, and is to be deployed approximately 27 minutes into the flight.  This satellite is mounted atop a SYLDA dispenser system, which will be installed over the second passenger – W2M – to complete the payload “stack” atop the Ariane 5’s core cryogenic stage.

The photo at left shows the encapsulation process, which occurred earlier today in the Ariane 5 Final Assembly Building.  The payload fairing is positioned above the integration rig, ready to be lowered over HOT BIRD 9 and the SLYDA dispenser below it.

Arianespace’s sixth – and final – mission of 2008 will be at the service of European telecommunications operator Eutelsat, which is to operate both the HOT BIRD 9 and W2M satellites.

HOT BIRD 9 was built by EADS Astrium, and will have a liftoff mass of 4,880 kg.  Configured with 64 Ku-band transponders, this high-power satellite will serve as a relay for digital and new high-definition TV channels, as well as interactive services.  From its location at Eutelsat’s premium video neighborhood orbital slot of 13 deg. East, HOT BIRD 9’s coverage area is to extend throughout Europe, and also reach North Africa and the Middle East. 

W2M was developed by a European-Indian alliance of EADS Astrium and ANTRIX (the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation), and is to have a liftoff mass of 3,460 kg.  The spacecraft will be positioned at an orbital slot of 16 deg., providing both television and radio broadcasting services.

• For additional information on the December 20 mission, see Arianespace’s official launch kit.