Satellites for Arianespace’s upcoming Ariane 5 launch are readied for liftoff

The two satellite payloads for Arianespace’s next mission are undergoing their final checkout as the launch campaign moves ahead for a liftoff of the increased-lift Ariane 5 ECA vehicle on June 24.

Spaceway F2 for DIRECTV and the Telkom 2 satellite for PT Telkom Indonesia are in the Spaceport’s large S5 payload preparation facility at French Guiana, where technicians are completing pre-launch preparations (see photos below).

The Spaceway F2 platform is one of a series of Ka-band satellites being launched by DIRECTV in a capacity expansion that will deliver more than 1,500 local and national high definition channels and other advanced programming services to consumers nationwide in the U.S.

This Boeing 702 spacecraft was produced by Boeing’s Satellite Development Center at the company’s satellite manufacturing, integration and test complex in El Segundo, Calif. With a launch mass of 6,116 kg., Spaceway 2 will be one of the heaviest commercial telecommunications satellites ever launched.

Telkom 2 was built by Orbital Sciences Corporation based on the company’s STAR-2 satellite platform, and carries 24 C-band transponders. The spacecraft will enable PT Telkom to expand its satellite communications coverage area into the ASEAN region and the Indian subcontinent, in addition to its services for Indonesia. Telkom 2 will have a launch mass of 1,975 kg. and a mission life of 15 years.