Status Report

Ariane Flight 145 – The Ariane 5 is complete

By SpaceRef Editor
February 26, 2002
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All is ready for the evening liftoff this Thursday, February 28 of
Arianespace’s first Ariane 5 flight in 2002. The massive Envisat satellite
was mated to the launcher last Thursday, followed the next day by
installation of Ariane 5’s large payload fairing.

The 8,050-kg. Envisat spacecraft was hoisted from the Ariane 5 building’s
clean room preparation area as the first step in the process of installing
the payload atop its Ariane 5. A 50-company consortium led by Europe’s
Astrium produced this 10.5-meter-tall European environmental satellite.

The 17-meter-long payload fairing was then lowered over the Envisat
satellite as the encapsulation process nears completion. The 5.4-meter-wide
fairing is made up of two half-shells composed of 10 panels. During launch,
the fairing will be jettisoned once the Ariane 5 has climbed through the
dense layers of the atmosphere.

The Ariane 5 will be transferred to the ELA-3 launch zone on February 27,
with liftoff set for the following evening at 10:05.59 p.m.

SpaceRef staff editor.