Galileo-FOC FM15 (Nicole), Galileo-FOC FM16 (Zofia), Galileo-FOC FM17 (Alexandre), Galileo-FOC FM18 (Irina) - Ariane 5-ES (VA240) - Kourou ELA-3 - 12.12.2017

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http://www.arianespace.com/mission-update/ariane-5-arrives-in-french-guiana/

Ariane 5 | September 13, 2017

The Ariane 5 for Arianespace's next Galileo mission arrives at the Spaceport


The cryogenic main stage for Arianespace's Flight VA240 is transported across the Spaceport after arriving in French Guiana aboard the MN Colibri roll-on/roll-off ship.

Elements for Arianespace's Ariane 5 mission in December have been delivered to the Spaceport in French Guiana for the heavy-lift launcher's second flight at the service of Europe's Galileo global satellite navigation system.

These components arrived this month in French Guiana aboard the MN Colibri, which is one of two sea-going roll-on/roll-off ships that transport launcher hardware from Europe to the South American launch site for Arianespace's family of launch vehicles.

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The year-end launch will orbit four more Galileo spacecraft, to be deployed into medium Earth orbit from a dispenser system on the Ariane 5 ES launcher version equipped with a re-ignitable upper stage. Galileo is designed to provide a new European global satellite navigation system with precision positioning services under civilian control.

A December liftoff for Ariane 5 and its Galileo satellites

Designated Flight VA240 in Arianespace's launcher family numbering system, the mission is targeted for December 12. As the latest mission carrying Galileo satellites, Flight VA240 is to be performed on behalf of the European Commission under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA).

Galileo is funded by the European Union, with overall responsibility for management and implementation held by the European Commission. ESA is assigned design and development of the new generation of systems and infrastructure.

The two half-shells for Ariane 5's payload fairing enter the Spaceport aboard separate flatbed trucks. When assembled on Ariane 5, the fairing will protect Flight VA240's Galileo satellites during the launcher's ascent through the atmosphere's denser layers.

Arianespace already has launched 18 Galileo spacecraft, with four being orbited on a previous Ariane 5 mission (Flight VA233 in November 2016), and the others lofted by seven medium-lift Soyuz vehicles carrying two satellites each.

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[tnt22]

http://www.csgpreparationlancement.com/ariane/vol-ariane-214-dechargement-du-mn-colibri/

12 septembre 2017
Vol Ariane 240 – Arrivée des éléments du lanceur

La campagne de la mission du vol Ariane 240, prévue en décembre a démarré. L'EPC est déchargé du navire MN Colibri, après un long voyage depuis l'Europe. L'«étage principal cryotechnique» est composé principalement de deux réservoirs hydrogène liquide et oxygène liquide et du moteur Vulcain pour 12,3t à vide. Les éléments qui constituent le corps d'Ariane 5 sont convoyés au bâtiment d'intégration lanceur.

12 September 2017
Flight Ariane 240 - Arrival of the launcher elements

The campaign for the Ariane 240 mission, scheduled for December, has started. The EPC is unloaded from the ship MN Colibri after a long journey from Europe. The "main cryogenic stage" consists mainly of two liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks and the Vulcain engine for 12,3t empty. The elements that constitute the body of Ariane 5 are conveyed to the launcher integration building.

12 сентября 2017 года
Полёт Ariane 240 - Прибытие составных частей РН

Началась кампания миссии Ariane 240, запланированной на декабрь. EPC выгружается с корабля MN Colibri после долгого путешествия из Европы. «Основная криогенная ступень» состоит в основном из двух резервуаров с жидким водородом и жидким кислородом и  двигателя Vulcain - на 12,3 т. Составные элементы РН Ariane 5 доставлены в здание сборки РН.

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DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace 6 ч. назад

Our launcher arriving on the MN Colibri last week #VA240 #Galileo #Ariane5



6 ч. назад

Also the rarely used medium fairing arrived at #CSG last week #Ariane5 #VA240 #Galileo

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Типа, интригует    

DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace 4 ч назад

Something has arrived.... #CSG #VA240 #Galileo

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Stéphane Israël‏ @arianespaceceo 3 ч. назад

Special delivery! 2 of the 4 #Galileo satellites for launch on #Ariane5 Flight #VA240 have arrived in French Guiana @EU_Commission @esa #OHB

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http://www.csgpreparationlancement.com/ariane/vol-ariane-240-arrivee-de-deux-satellites-galileo/

26 septembre 2017
Vol Ariane 240 – Arrivée de deux satellites Galileo

Pour le dernier lancement de l'année, le lanceur devra mettre sur orbite 4 nouveaux satellites de la constellation Galileo.

26 сентября 2017 года
Полёт Ariane 240 - Прибытие двух спутников Galileo

Для последнего запуска года РН должна будет вывести на орбиту 4 новых спутника созвездия Galileo.

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[tnt22]

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Navigation/Galileo_pair_arrives_in_French_Guiana

Galileo pair arrives in French Guiana

2 October 2017
Europe's next two Galileo navigation satellites have touched down in Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana ahead of the launch of a quartet by Ariane 5 at the end of this year.

Спойлер

Galileo arrival

Galileos 19 and 20 left Luxembourg Airport on a Boeing 747 cargo jet on the morning of 18 September, arriving at Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport in French Guiana that evening.

Safely cocooned within protective air-conditioned containers, the pair were offloaded and driven to the cleanroom environment of the preparation building within the space centre.

This building will remain their home as preparations for their launch proceeds, with the next two Galileos due to join them later this month.


Satellite in container

The satellites join the first elements of their customised Ariane 5 at the centre – including its cryogenic main stage and half-shell payload fairing – which were delivered by ship the week before.

Galileo is Europe's own satellite navigation system, providing an array of positioning, navigation and timing services to Europe and the world.

A further eight Galileo 'Batch 3' satellites were ordered last June, to supplement the 26 built so far.


Loaded onto lorry

With 18 satellites now in orbit, Galileo began initial services on 15 December, the first step towards full operations.

Further launches will continue to build the constellation, which will gradually improve performance and availability worldwide.


Galileo satellites

About Galileo

Galileo is the EU's own global satellite navigation system, consisting of both the satellites in space and their associated ground infrastructure.

The definition, development and in-orbit validation phases were carried out by ESA, and co-funded by ESA and the European Commission. This phase created a mini constellation of four satellites and a reduced ground segment set up to validate the overall concept, ahead of further deployment.

Success led to the current Full Operational Capability phase, fully funded by the EU and managed by the Commission. The Commission and ESA have a delegation agreement by which ESA acts as design and procurement agent on behalf of the Commission.

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DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace 2 ч назад

Something arrived.... part 2, in a Boeing 747-800 no less, #Galileo #VA240 #Ariane5 #CSG #Kourou #Cayenne

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Stéphane Israël‏ @arianespaceceo 57 мин назад

All 4 #Galileo spacecraft for #Ariane5 Flight #VA240 are in French Guiana following today's 2-satellite delivery @EU_Commission @esa #OHB

Спойлер

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DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace 39 мин назад

Peekaboo #Galileo #VA240 #CSG

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http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Navigation/Galileo_in_place_for_launch_then_there_were_four

Unloading satellites

Galileo in place for launch: then there were four

23 October 2017
Two more Galileo satellites have reached Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, joining the first pair of navigation satellites and the Ariane 5 rocket due to haul the quartet to orbit this December.

Спойлер

Galileos 21 and 22 left Luxembourg Airport on a Boeing 747 cargo jet on the morning of 17 October, arriving at Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport in French Guiana on the same day.

Resting within distinctive white air-conditioned containers, the satellites were driven to the cleanroom environment of the preparation building within the space centre.

Waiting for them there were Galileos 19 and 20, which arrived in September.


Inside aircraft

The four satellites will be launched together in mid-December by a customised Ariane 5, the elements of which reached French Guiana last month by sea.

Galileo is Europe's own satellite navigation system, providing an array of positioning, navigation and timing services to Europe and the world.

A further eight Galileo 'Batch 3' satellites were ordered last June, to supplement the 26 built so far.


Galileo satellites

With 18 satellites now in orbit, Galileo began initial services on 15 December 2016, the first step towards full operations.

Further launches will continue to build the constellation, which will gradually improve performance and availability worldwide.


On way to Spaceport

About Galileo

Galileo is the EU's own global satellite navigation system, consisting of both the satellites in space and their associated ground infrastructure.

The definition, development and in-orbit validation phases were carried out by ESA, and co-funded by ESA and the European Commission. This phase created a mini constellation of four satellites and a reduced ground segment set up to validate the overall concept, ahead of further deployment.

Success led to the current Full Operational Capability phase, fully funded by the EU and managed by the Commission. The Commission and ESA have a delegation agreement by which ESA acts as design and procurement agent on behalf of the Commission.

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[tnt22]

http://www.arianespace.com/mission-update/galileo-payload-preps/

Ariane 5 | October 24, 2017

Four Galileo spacecraft are prepared for their December Ariane 5 launch

Payload processing for Arianespace's second Ariane 5 mission in support of Europe's Galileo global navigation system has reached full speed, with all four satellites now at the Spaceport.


One of the latest-delivered Galileo satellites is removed from its protective shipping container inside the Spaceport's S1A payload preparation facility.

Liftoff of Arianespace's Ariane 5 with these satellites is targeted for December 12, coming after the heavy-lift workhorse's previous flight at the service of Galileo, which successfully delivered four other spacecraft to medium-Earth circular orbit in November 2016.

The upcoming mission is designated Flight VA240 in Arianespace's launcher family numbering system, denoting the 240th performed with an Ariane-series vehicle from the Spaceport. It also will be the company's 11th and final launch in 2017, closing out a busy year of space lift activity.

Спойлер

A global navigation system for Europe

As the latest mission carrying Galileo satellites, Flight VA240 is to be conducted on behalf of the European Commission under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA). Galileo is funded by the European Union, with overall responsibility for management and implementation held by the European Commission. ESA is assigned design and development of the new generation of systems and infrastructure.

Arianespace already has launched a total of 18 Galileo spacecraft, including the four orbited by Ariane 5 in November 2016, plus the others lofted by seven preceding medium-lift Soyuz vehicles that carried two satellites each.

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• A larger version of the photo above is available for downloading in the Gallery.
  

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[tnt22]

http://www.csgpreparationlancement.com/ariane/vol-ariane-232-transfert-des-eap-au-bil/

25 octobre 2017
Vol Ariane 240 – Intégration des EAP et EPC au BIL
Les deux étages d'accélération à poudre (EAP) communément appelés les boosters et le corps central (EPC) d'Ariane 5, ont été transférés au BIL, le bâtiment d'intégration lanceur. Ils fourniront la majorité de la poussée au décollage du lanceur, prévu au mois de décembre.

25 октября 2017 года
Полёт Ariane 240 - Сборка EAP и EPC в здании вертикальной сборки
Два ТТУ EAP и EPC Ariane 5 были перевезены в здание вертикальной сборки. Они представляют РН для запуска, запланированного на декабрь.

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[tnt22]

http://www.csgpreparationlancement.com/ariane/vol-ariane-220-fitcheck-du-satellite-intelsat-30dla-1/

25 octobre 2017
Vol Ariane 240 – Fitcheck des satellites

Les 4 satellites de la constellation Galileo, sont soumis à des tests de contrôle, et des vérifications d'ajustement entre les systèmes. Ils seront lancés mi décembre, grâce à un système de lancement multiple.

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Stéphane Israël‏ @arianespaceceo 14 ч. назад

.@EmmanuelMacron et @JunckerEU à Kourou devant #Ariane5 qui lancera le 12 décembre prochain 4 satellites #Galileo @EU_Commission @esa #VA240

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DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace 12 ч. назад

#Ariane5 #VA240 #EAP #CSG #Galileo

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DutchSpace‏ @DutchSpace 36 мин. назад

Nice look at our EPS being hoisted and integrated on top of our #Ariane5 #VA240 launcher #Galileo

Спойлер

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[Salo]

http://www.csgpreparationlancement.com/

Save the date

Prochain lancement : Vol Ariane 240
12 décembre à 15h36 (locale), lancement de 4 nouveaux satellites de la constellation Galileo.

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http://www.arianespace.com/mission-update/launcher-and-galileo-satellite-preps/

Ariane 5 | November 13, 2017

Ariane 5 and its Galileo satellites are prepared for Arianespace's December 12 mission


Inside the Spaceport's Launcher Integration Building, Ariane 5's vehicle equipment bay is lowered atop the core cryogenic stage on Flight VA240's Ariane 5 ES launcher version (left and center photos). This cleared the way for installation of the launch vehicle's EPS storable propellant upper stage (at right).

The Ariane 5 for Arianespace's December 12 year-ending flight for 2017 has completed its initial build-up at the Spaceport in French Guiana – where preparations also are moving ahead with four satellite passengers that will further expand Europe's Galileo global navigation system once in their final orbit.

During activity in the Spaceport's Launcher Integration Building, this heavy-lift vehicle for Arianespace Flight VA240 underwent the assembly process that began by mating its two solid propellant strap-on boosters with the main cryogenic stage.

Спойлер

The next step was integration of Ariane 5's vehicle equipment bay, which serves as the launch vehicle's "brain," providing autonomous control during the various mission phases.

The Ariane 5 ES difference

It was followed by installation of the EPS storable propellant stage, powered by a re-ignitable engine that operates with MMH and N2O4 propellants. This differentiates the Ariane 5 ES configuration from Arianespace's Ariane 5 ECA version – which has a cryogenic upper stage and typically is used on Arianespace missions with telecommunications satellites to geostationary transfer orbits.

After completion of verifications and systems checkout by production prime contractor ArianeGroup, the Ariane 5 ES launch vehicle will be moved to the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building for payload integration and readiness for rollout to the launch zone.

The mission's ongoing payload preparations – which so far included the checkout and fit-check procedure for each of the four Galileo satellites – took place inside the Spaceport's S1A processing facility. This involved a one-by-one verification of the spacecraft's interface with the payload dispenser that will release them into circular orbit during the mission.

Galileo satellites checked...and fit

After the fit-check procedure in the S1A facility, the four satellites were readied for transfer to the S5 payload preparation center for fueling.

For Ariane 5's December 12 mission, the heavy-lift vehicle will carry its quartet of Galileo satellites (weighing approximately 700 kg. each) and their dispenser system for a medium-Earth orbit deployment.

Galileo is the European initiative to develop a global satellite navigation system. Under civilian control, it will offer a guaranteed, high-precision positioning service. As a European Union-funded program, the Galileo constellation will comprise 24 operational satellites, along with spares.

Overall responsibility for Galileo's management and implementation is held by the European Commission, with the European Space Agency assigned design and development of the new generation of systems and infrastructure.

Ariane 5's mission with the four Galileo spacecraft will close out a busy year of launch activity for Arianespace, which has performed 10 missions from French Guiana so far in 2017 – all of which were successful. The flights to date involved five launches of the heavy-lift Ariane 5, two with the medium Soyuz and three with the lightweight Vega.
 

In the Spaceport's S1A clean room facility, three of the four Galileo satellites for Flight VA240 are prepared for their fit-check with the mission's payload dispenser (left). At right, one of the spacecraft undergoes the fit-check process.

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Stéphane Israël‏ @arianespaceceo 1 ч. назад

Looking good! #Ariane5 is adorned with logos for Flight #VA240, #Arianespace's year-ending Dec. 12 mission that will orbit satellites for Europe's #Galileo navigation system @EU_Commission @esa @ArianeGroup

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Arianespace‏ @Arianespace 1 ч. назад

We're ready to take our corporate branding to new heights! Logos for #Arianespace and parent company @ArianeGroup are affixed to #Ariane5's payload fairing, ready for liftoff Dec. 12 on Flight #VA240