The vehicle’s handover came with its transfer yesterday evening from the Spaceport’s Launcher Integration Building – where it was assembled by prime contractor EADS Astrium, to the Final Assembly Building – providing Arianespace the responsibility for integration of the two payloads and launch operations for the Ariane 5.

Arabsat-5C will have an estimated launch mass of 4,630 kg., while SES-2 will weigh in at approximately 3,152 kg. for liftoff.

Built in a joint effort of Europe’s EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, Arabsat-5C is a fifth-generation satellite for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat).   This multi-mission platform is designed to provide capacity in both the C- and Ka-bands for a range of communications services from Arabsat’s 20 deg. East orbital position.

SES-2 was produced by the U.S.-based Orbital Sciences Corporation for SES WORLD SKIES, and is a hybrid C- and Ku-band spacecraft that will serve North America from an orbital slot of 87 deg. West.  Additionally, it carries the Commercially Hosted InfraRed Payload (CHIRP) for the U.S. Air Force – which integrates a wide-field of view sensor in the satellite.