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[North Africa] Ariane 5 launch campaign begins for an August mission with Eutelsat and Intelsat satellites

[North Africa] Ariane 5 launch campaign begins for an August mission with Eutelsat and Intelsat satellites

The fourth Ariane 5 for liftoff in 2015 has begun its integration process at the Spaceport, maintaining Arianespace's mission pace during another busy year of launch activity from its French Guiana operational base.

This heavy-lift vehicle will be used for Flight VA225 in August, which will deliver two relay satellites  EUTELSAT 8 West B and Intelsat 34  to geostationary transfer orbit.  The mission's designation signifies Ariane's 225th mission since the European-built series of launch vehicles began operation in 1979.

Build-up of the Ariane 5 is following well-established procedures at the Spaceport, with its cryogenic core stage initially positioned over one of two operational launch tables, followed by the mating of two solid propellant boosters.  This occurred in the Spaceport's Ariane 5 Launcher Integration Building, clearing the way for an initial vehicle "top-off" with installation of its cryogenic upper stage and equipment bay atop the core stage.

Ariane 5 will then be made ready for transfer to the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building, where the EUTELSAT 8 West B and Intelsat 34 payloads are to be installed.  The Final Assembly Building currently is occupied by another Ariane 5 that will be rolled out next week for Arianespace's Flight VA224, which is to loft the Star One C4 telecommunications satellite for Brazil and Europe's MSG-4 meteorological platform on July 8.

For Flight VA225, EUTELSAT 8 West B will occupy the upper passenger position in Ariane 5's dual-payload configuration.  It is designed to bring powerful new satellite broadcasting resources for the Middle East and North Africa, utilizing a 5.8-metric-ton-class relay platform manufactured by Thales Alenia Space.

Equipped with 40 operational Ku-band transponders designed primarily to serve direct-to-home (DTH) markets, the high-capacity EUTELSAT 8 West B spacecraft is to be located at a geostationary orbit slot of 8 deg. West, joining satellites already operated at the adjacent 7 deg. West position by Eutelsat and the Egyptian satellite company Nilesat.

www.euteslat.com

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