Latest Mission updates

Ariane 5 January 6, 2014

Ariane 5 launch with Athena-Fidus and ABS-2 is postponed

Arianespace has decided to postpone Flight VA217 – originally scheduled for January 23 – by a few days, with an equipment change-out planned on this mission’s Ariane 5 ECA vehicle.

A new launch date will be announced very soon.

This mission is scheduled to loft two passengers: the French-Italian Athena-Fidus spacecraft and ABS-2 for global satellite operator ABS.

Athena-Fidus will provide data transmission services for France and Italy’s defense ministries, as well as their security organizations. The multi-mission ABS-2 spacecraft is to offer telecommunications coverage across four continents, reaching 60 percent of the world’s population.

Ariane 5 December 24, 2013

The Athena-Fidus satellite is readied for Arianespace’s first heavy-lift mission of 2014

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