U.S.-Manufactured Payloads For Asia-Pacific Customers

Arianespace has completed the payload integration on its fourth Ariane 5 to be launched in 2009, clearing the way for this vehicle's liftoff from the Spaceport in French Guiana on Friday.

The heavy-lift Ariane 5 has been fitted with its dual payload "stack" of the JCSAT-12 and Optus D3 telecommunications satellites, and is being readied for a rollout to the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone on August 20.

Payload stack integration was completed with installation of the launch vehicle's upper component containing JCSAT-12, which has been mounted atop the SYLDA dispenser and encapsulated inside Ariane 5's payload fairing. This combination was positioned over Optus D3, which previously was mated to the top of Ariane 5's core stage.

The Ariane 5 is now undergoing its final checkout inside the launcher Final Integration Building, setting the stage for the launch readiness review on Wednesday, August 19. With a successful conclusion of this review, Ariane 5 will be transferred to the ELA-3 launch zone on the following day, enabling the final countdown to begin for Friday's liftoff during a one-hour launch window that opens at 7:09 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

For this latest Ariane 5 mission, Arianespace will orbit a pair of U.S.-manufactured spacecraft for two of its key Asia-Pacific customers.

Photo Courtesy Arianespace

To be deployed first during the flight sequence is JCSAT-12, which is riding as the Ariane 5's upper passenger, and has a liftoff mass of approximately 4,000 kg. Built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems in Newtown, Pennsylvania, JCSAT-12 will be operated by Japan's SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation. It is to serve as the successor to JCSAT-R - which currently is in geostationary orbit as a backup relay platform. JCSAT-12 is a high-power spacecraft based on Lockheed Martin's A2100AX satellite bus, and is equipped with 30 Ku-band transponders plus 12 C-band transponders.

Optus D3 was produced by Dulles, Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corporation for the Australian Optus telecommunications provider. Based on Orbital's STAR spacecraft bus, the 2,500-kg. Optus D3 carries 32 Ku-band transponders for fixed communications and direct television broadcasting services to Australia and New Zealand.

FMI: www.arianespace.com