Ariane Flight 131 Mission Update: Ariane 4 receives its first liquid strap-on booster

The launch campaign for Arianespace Flight 131 continued its smooth progress, with the launcher receiving the first of its two liquid strap-on boosters today.
 
The booster was mated to the Ariane 4’s first stage in the ELA-2 launcher assembly hall, and it will be followed by installation of the second booster tomorrow.
 
Flight 131 uses the Ariane 44LP version of Ariane 4, which is equipped with two liquid and two solid boosters. The solids will be installed once Ariane 4 has been transferred to the launch zone.
 
The Ariane 4 stands partially complete in the launcher assembly hall. Its first and second stages were erected last week, while the third stage and vehicle equipment bay will be installed on June 20.
 
The liftoff of Flight 131 with a dual satellite payload is fixed for August 17, based on the current operational planning for the launcher and the two satellites.
 
Jean-Marc Artaud, Arianespace’s Flight 131 mission manager, said the Egyptian Nilesat 102 payload has completed its pressurization tests in the S1B building at Europe’s Spaceport, and leak tests are now underway. The satellite will be moved to the S3A building on Friday, where fueling will be carried out.
 
Nilesat 102 will be joined on the launch by Brazil’s Brasilsat B4 payload, which will undergo all of its pre-launch preparations in the Spaceport’s S3B building.
 
Flight 131 has moved into position as Arianespace’s next launch, following a delay in preparations for Flight 130 following a hardware alert concerning that mission’s Ariane 5.