....following delivery of this heavy-lift workhorse yesterday at the Spaceport by its industrial prime contractor, Astrium. The Ariane 5 ES vehicle is now in the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building following its transfer from the Launcher Integration Building – where it underwent integration of its core cryogenic stage, solid propellant boosters, equipment bay and EPS upper stage. This version of Arianespace’s workhorse heavy-lift launcher is now ready to receive its payload: the no. 3 Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) cargo resupply vessel developed by Europe for servicing of the International Space Station.

The latest ATV is named after Italian physicist Edoardo Amaldi and will carry an estimated 6,960 kg. of dry cargo, propellant, water and gas when it lifts off next March 9 from French Guiana. Arianespace is entrusted with the orbiting of ATVs under contract to the European Space Agency. The company lofted ATV no. 1 (named after Jules Verne) in March 2008, which was followed by the launch of ATV Johannes Kepler this past February.

The Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s mission with ATV Edoardo Amaldi is shown during its transfer from the Spaceport’s Launcher Integration Building to the Final Assembly Building. Photo courtesy of Arianespace.