Article Posted on : - Jun 14, 2010

EVRY (BNS): Arianespace will launch its next mission flight with Arabsat-5A and COMS dual-satellite payload on June 23, and will mark the second flight of the Ariane 5 in 2010.

Three Ariane 5 launch vehicles is under development at the Spaceport in French Guiana as Arianespace ramps up the 2010 mission pace with its heavy-lift workhorse.

Work on the Arianespace�s third Ariane 5 has begun at the Launcher Integration Building at the Spaceport from June 8, after the erection of Ariane 5�s core cryogenic stage.

It will be fitted with the two solid propellant boosters and upper composite � which consists of the cryogenic upper stage and equipment bay.

This Ariane 5 will orbit the RASCOM-QAF 1R and NILESAT 201 telecommunications payloads in its third launch.

Components for the fourth Ariane 5 to be operated by Arianespace in 2010 were delivered to the Spaceport after completing their trans-Atlantic voyage from Europe.

This launcher was brought to French Guiana aboard the MN Colibri, which is one of two sea-going vessels used by Arianespace to transport its Ariane launch vehicles from Europe to South America.

Arianespace has targeted a total of six to seven Ariane 5 missions in 2010.