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.