Ariane Flight 133 is prepared for rollout
The Ariane 4 for Flight 133 continues its checkout in the preparation zone at ELA-2, with activity this week including routine engine leak checks and electrical hookups in the vehicle equipment bay.
Flight 133’s Ariane 4 will be transferred from the preparation area to the launch zone next week, putting it in position for the scheduled launch on September 27. This mission will use the 44LP version of Ariane 4, which has two solid and two liquid strap-ons added to the first stage.
Arianespace’s rapid-paced launch schedule calls for another mission between Flights 132 and 133. This will be the September 14 launch of an Ariane 5 on Flight 130, which had been delayed from July.