ESA ArianeSpace: Astra 3B Payload Integration into Ariane 5 ECA

Arianespace has initiated the payload “stack” build-up for its year-opening heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA mission, which will orbit a dual payload of commercial and military telecommunications satellites from the Spaceport in French Guiana.

The integration activity moved into full swing this week with ASTRA 3B’s installation atop the Ariane 5 SYLDA dual-payload dispenser system, which occurred in the Spaceport’s launch vehicle Final Assembly Building.

Riding as the flight’s upper passenger, ASTRA 3B will be deployed first in the launch sequence – to ultimately be positioned at SES ASTRA’s important 23.5 deg. East orbital location, where it will provide direct-to-home broadcast services and two-way broadband relay across Europe and the Middle East.

This EADS Astrium-produced spacecraft is based on the Eurostar E3000 satellite bus, and will have a liftoff mass of 5,470 kg. ASTRA 3B is designed for a nominal lifetime of 15 years.

Integration of ASTRA 3B was performed in the Ariane 5 Final Assembly Building at Europe’s Spaceport.

ASTRA 3B and its SYLDA dispenser will be positioned over the Ariane 5 ECA’s lower passenger for the upcoming mission, COMSATBw-2, which is continuing its pre-launch processing at the Spaceport.

As a secure relay platform, it will deliver key services for the German Bundeswehr (German armed forces), and is a follow-on spacecraft to COMSATBw-1 – which was orbited by an Ariane 5 ECA version in October 2009.

Liftoff for this upcoming Ariane 5 mission is set for March 24 – initiating Arianespace’s busy launch schedule in 2010, which has seven missions planned with the workhorse vehicle.

The Ariane 5’s second launch of this year is targeted for late April, and will loft another pair of spacecraft: Arabsat 5A for satellite services provider Arabsat, and COMS for the Korean Aerospace and Research Institute of South Korea.