Ariane Flight 160: Mission postponed

Tonight’s liftoff of Arianespace Flight 160 was delayed after one of the mission’s two clients requested additional verifications on its satellite payload.

The Ariane 5G launcher and its dual payload are in a safe mode on the launch pad.
Additional information on the mission’s rescheduling will be provided during the morning hours of April 9 (Kourou time).

Arianespace was notified of the client’s need for additional satellite verifications prior to the startup of fueling activity with the Ariane 5’s cryogenic core stage. As a result, the countdown activity was stopped before any of the stage’s liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen propellant had been loaded.

Flight 160 will carry the 2,950-kg. INSAT 3A satellite, produced by the Indian Space Research Organisation, and GALAXY XII – a 1,760 kg.-payload built by Orbital Sciences Corporation for PanAmSat.