Integration begins for the 200th Ariane launcher

The milestone 200th Ariane launch vehicle has begun its assembly process in French Guiana, as preparations move forward for its February 2011 mission with Europe’s second Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). This Ariane 5 ES version of Arianespace’s workhorse heavy-lift launcher is being assembled in the Spaceport’s Launcher Integration Building, where activity began mid-week with the core cryogenic stage’s positioning over the mobile launch table.