The Ariane 5 GS version of Arianespace's workhorse vehicle is now in the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building following its delivery by prime contractor EADS Astrium Space Transportation.
Helios 2B will be the latest in a family of military observation satellites launched by Ariane, and this payload was built by EADS Astrium. Arianespace's customer on the upcoming mission is the CNES French space agency, operating on behalf of France's DGA defense procurement organization.
Ariane 5 has flown two other missions in 2009 with military payloads. Germany's COMSATBw-1 secure communications satellite was launched October 1, and a pair of Spirale auxiliary passengers was orbited on February 12 to serve as demonstrators for a future French defense early warning system.