The pace of mission activity at Europe’s Spaceport is accelerating as another Ariane 5 takes shape to support Arianespace’s sustained launch schedule during the second half of 2007. <\/p>\n
This new vehicle is a heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA, which is to be used for the upcoming dual-payload mission with the SPACEWAY 3 and BSAT-3a satellites. Its processing began with erection and positioning of Ariane 5’s cryogenic core stage over the mobile launch table in the Spaceport’s Launcher Integration Building. <\/p>\n
As this Ariane 5 ECA takes form, a nearly-complete Ariane 5 GS launcher is awaiting its turn in the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building. The Ariane 5 GS underwent its build-up during May\/June, and is scheduled to orbit the Intelsat-11 and Horizons-2 satellites on an Arianespace mission in mid September. <\/p>\n
Arianespace is targeting the launch of six Ariane 5s in 2007 – with two of these flights already performed so far this year. <\/p>\n
The company is accelerating its Ariane 5 launch rate to meet customer demand, reaching a stabilized pace of eight missions annually by 2009.<\/p>\n