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Mission Update

Ariane 5’s initial heavy-lift mission of 2010 is cleared for its March 26 liftoff

March 24, 2010 – Ariane Flight 194

Arianespace is ready for the start of a record operational year with the go-ahead for Friday’s heavy-lift Ariane 5 launch, which will orbit SES ASTRA’s ASTRA 3B commercial telecommunications satellite and Germany’s COMSATBw-2 secure military relay platform.

Authorization for the March 26 flight was given following today’s launch readiness review, which is held before each Arianespace mission.  It validated the “go” status for Ariane 5, along with its two spacecraft passengers, the launch infrastructure at the Spaceport in French Guiana, and the network of downrange tracking stations.

This approval clears Ariane 5 for its transfer tomorrow from the Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch complex.  The final countdown will then begin, leading to the liftoff during a launch window on Friday that opens at 7:03 p.m. local time, and continues to 7:52 p.m. (22h03-22h52 UTC).

The flight is Arianespace’s first in a busy year that is scheduled to include seven missions with Ariane 5, which will be joined in 2010 by the medium-lift Soyuz.  Preparations also are moving ahead for the lightweight Vega’s upcoming introduction – which will provide Arianespace with a complete launcher family that operates side-by-side at the Spaceport.

For this Friday’s launch, Ariane 5 will have a total lift performance of approximately 9,115 kg., which includes 7,970 kg. for the ASTRA 3B and COMSATBw-2 satellites, plus associated launcher integration hardware and the SYLDA dual-payload dispenser system.

From liftoff to the deployment of Ariane 5’s two passengers, the flight is to have a duration of just over 33 minutes.  It will be the 194th mission of an Ariane family vehicle, and the 50th for Ariane 5.

• See the official Arianespace launch kit for further information on this mission.