Go-ahead for Astra 2F September 28 launch

[bassethound]

WATCH LAUNCH LIVE. Arianespace’s fifth Ariane 5 flight of 2012 has been approved for its September 28 liftoff following today’s successful launch readiness review,which was performed at the Spaceport in French Guiana.
The review is held prior to each Ariane 5 mission, ensuring that the heavy-lift launch vehicle and its payload are flight-ready, along with the Spaceport’s infrastructure and the network of downrange tracking stations.

With today’s “green light,” Ariane 5 is now cleared for its September 27 rollout from the Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone, where it will be readied for liftoff on Friday, September 28 at 18:18 local time in French Guiana (21.18 GMT).
The payload lift performance for Arianespace’s latest Ariane 5 mission is more than 10,200 kg., which includes some 9,400 kg. for its two satellite passengers – Astra 2F and GSAT-10 – along with the launcher’s dual-payload dispenser system and satellite integration hardware.
You can watch the launch live on the special Ariane TV website. Until the actual launch, a short video is shown.

 

[bassethound]

WATCH LAUNCH LIVE. Arianespace’s mission with the Astra 2F and GSAT-10 satellites is on track for its liftoff tonight, Friday September 28.

The Ariane 5 is now rolled out to the ELA-3 launch zone at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

Moving atop one of two large mobile launch tables in service for Ariane 5, the heavy-lift vehicle emerged from the Final Assembly Building for its transfer to the launch pad, where it was secured in place. With this step completed, final preparations can now begin for Ariane 5′s September 28 liftoff at 6:18 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

This will be Arianespace’s fifth Ariane 5 flight of 2012, with a payload lift performance of more than 10,200 kg. – which includes a combined mass of some 9,400 kilos for the Astra 2F and GSAT-10 spacecraft, plus the launcher’s dual-payload dispenser system and associated integration hardware.

Riding as the upper passenger in Ariane 5′s payload “stack” is Astra 2F, which will be released approximately 27 min. after liftoff. This satellite is based on EADS Astrium’s Eurostar E3000 platform and features Ku- and Ka-band payloads.

Following its deployment by Ariane 5, Astra 2F will be operated by Luxembourg-based SES for the delivery of DTH and next-generation broadband services in Europe, the Middle East and Arica.

GSAT-10, which was built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) using its I-3K satellite bus, has a liftoff mass of some 3,400 kilo, and will be deployed from Ariane 5′s lower passenger position at approximately 30 min. into the flight.