Will Deliver DSN-1/Superbird-8 And HYLAS 4 Spacecraft

The next Ariane 5 flight has been authorized for liftoff on April 5 following a launch readiness review, which was conducted at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

This milestone confirmed that the heavy-lift launcher and its dual-satellite payload – comprised of DSN-1/Superbird-8 for SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation and Avanti Communications’ HYLAS 4 – are flight-ready, along with the Spaceport’s infrastructure and the network of downrange tracking stations.

With approval granted, Ariane 5 is cleared for tomorrow’s rollout from the Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone. Liftoff will occur the following day during a 50-minute launch window that opens at 6:34 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

Ariane 5 will deliver a total payload lift performance of approximately 22,600 pounds on the mission to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), which is designated Flight VA242. This total includes the two satellite passengers, plus the workhorse vehicle’s dual-payload deployment system and integration hardware.

(Source: Arianespace news release. Image provided)

FMI: www.arianespace.com