This traditional milestone prior to each Ariane 5 mission validated the heavy-lift launch vehicle’s status, along with its W3B and BSAT-3b satellite payloads, the infrastructure at Europe’s Spaceport and the network of downrange tracking stations.

The readiness review clears Ariane 5 for tomorrow’s transfer from the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone, followed by a final countdown leading to liftoff during a launch window that opens on October 28 at 6:51 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

Ariane 5’s payload lift performance for this latest mission is 8,263 kg., which includes a combined total of approximately 7,460 kg. for the W3B and BSAT-3b spacecraft, plus the launch vehicle’s dual-passenger dispenser system and satellite integration hardware