 |
| Ariane 5 is positioned at the
launch zone with its heavyweight iPSTAR payload. (Arianespace
photo) |
KOUROU, French Guiana, Aug. 10, 2005/Satnews Daily/ —
Preparations for Arianespace's upcoming flight of Ariane 5 with its
Thaicom 4 (iPSTAR) satellite entered their final phase on Tuesday as the
launcher moved out to the ELA-3 launch zone at the Spaceport in French
Guiana.
The completed Ariane 5 Generic vehicle emerged from the final assembly
building at 11:15 a.m. (local time in French Guiana) under cloudy skies,
riding atop its massive mobile launch table for the 2.8-km.-long rollout
to the launch zone. Arianespace said the transfer used a dual rail line
that links together the Spaceport's major facilities, and the process
was completed when the table was locked in position over large flame
ducts for Ariane 5's two solid rocket motors and its core stage Vulcain
cryogenic main engine.
Liftoff of Ariane 5 is scheduled for August 11 at the start of a
two-hour launch window that opens at 3:39 a.m. local time in French
Guiana (06h39 GMT, 01:39 p.m. in Bangkok, and 08:39 a.m. in Paris).
Thaicom 4 will be the heaviest commercial satellite ever delivered to
geosynchronous orbit. Built for Shin Satellite Plc of Thailand by Space
Systems/Loral, the large telecom platform has a liftoff mass of 14,300
lb. (6,486 kg.), and is to provide Internet access service throughout 14
countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
The satellite will generate 14 kW of electrical power during its planned
12-year service life, and will operate with 7 on-board antennas to
create 112 spot and regional beams in the Ku and Ka frequency bands.
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