[SatNews] Packing up a horse isn't easy...
Final payload integration has begun for Arianespace’s heavy-lift mission on October 16, with ARSAT-1 now installed on the workhorse Ariane 5 launcher at the Spaceport in French Guiana.
During activity in the upper level of the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building, ARSAT-1 is lowered into position atop its Ariane 5 launcher.
The spacecraft was positioned atop Ariane 5’s core cryogenic stage this week during activity inside the Spaceport’s launch vehicle Final Assembly Building – placing it as the lower passenger in the dual-payload arrangement, to be released second in the flight sequence after its co-passenger, Intelsat 30/DLA-1.
ARSAT-1 is the milestone first geostationary satellite built in Argentina, produced by the company INVAP for operator ARSAT (Empresa Argentina de Soluciones Satelitales Sociedad Anonima) – with Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space serving as leading equipment suppliers.
After its deployment by Ariane 5, ARSAT-1 will operate from an orbital position of 71.8 deg. West, from which it is to deliver a wide range of telecommunications, data transmission, telephone and television services across all of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Joining ARSAT-1 on this upcoming mission—designated Flight VA220 in Arianespace’s launcher family numbering system—is the Intelsat 30/DLA-1 co-passenger, which was built by SSL (Space Systems/Loral) for two long-time Arianespace customers: Intelsat and DIRECTV. Once in orbit, Intelsat 30/DLA-1 will greatly expand direct-to-home entertainment offerings in Latin America, as well as provide backup and restoration services. Follow Arianespace's launch activity at: www.arianespace.com.
Intelsat 30/DLA-1 and Intelsat 31/DLA-2 are high-power, advanced satellites that will provide Direct-to-Home (DTH) television service in Latin America. The satellites are being built for and will be operated by Intelsat, which will lease a majority of the satellite capacity to DIRECTV Latin America, a leading DTH digital television services operator in Latin America. Using spot-beam frequency reuse and technologies, the Ku-band payloads will greatly expand DTH entertainment offerings in Latin America and provide backup and restoration services. The two satellites are designed based on the flight-proven SSL 1300 platform and are contracted to provide service for a minimum of 15 years. Intelsat 30/DLA-1 and Intelsat 31/DLA-2 are scheduled for launch in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and will be co-located with Intelsat’s Galaxy 3C satellite at 95 degrees West. Check out SS/L's info site http://www.sslmda.com