[SatNews] The 57th Ariane 5 to be launched from French Guiana has completed the initial build-up process, preparing it to receive a dual-payload of commercial telecommunications satellites — Yahsat 1A and Intelsat New Dawn.

This heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA currently is in the Spaceport’s Launcher Integration Building, where its core cryogenic stage was mated with the two solid propellant boosters during recent weeks, followed by yesterday’s installation of the upper composite – which is composed of the ESC-A cryogenic upper stage and vehicle equipment bay. After additional systems verification, the Ariane 5 will be ready for transfer to the Final Assembly Building, where the Yahsat 1A and Intelsat New Dawn telecommunications satellites are to be positioned atop the launcher in a dual payload “stack.” The Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building currently is occupied by an Ariane 5 ES launcher, which will loft Europe’s no. 2 Automated Transfer Vehicle on a mission set for February 15.