Arianespace is moving ahead with plans for a busy period of Ariane 5 mission activity in 2005 as another launcher begins to take shape at the Spaceport in French Guiana.
The cryogenic core stage for an Ariane 5 Generic vehicle was erected on its mobile launch table this week during activity inside the Launcher Assembly Building.
A second Ariane 5 – which is to be an increased-performance Ariane 5 ECA version – also will undergo its build-up at the Spaceport.
This mission flexibility, which includes the availability of two Ariane 5 mobile launch tables and highly skilled launch teams, enables Arianespace to adjust its mission manifest to meet the availability of customer satellite payloads.
Arianespace is planning to perform four Ariane 5 missions during the upcoming months, with three of these launches using Ariane 5 Generic launchers, while the other will be flown with the Ariane 5 ECA.
The upcoming Ariane 5 missions will benefit from Arianespace’s experience in pairing up satellites for cost-effective dual payload launches. This capability has been demonstrated in Ariane operations since the 1980s, with a total of 71 missions performed from the Spaceport carrying multiple payloads.
