Arianespace Flight 151: Spot 5 tops off the Ariane launcher

Spot 5 was installed atop its Ariane 4 at the Spaceport today,
completing one of the final steps prior to the scheduled May 3 launch
of Arianespace’s sixth mission in 2002.

Integration of France’s newest Spot Earth resources spacecraft
occurred in the upper level of the mobile service tower, which
protects the Ariane 4 until its liftoff from the ELA-2 launch complex.

Flight 151 will place the 3,030 kg. Spot 5 satellite into a Sun
synchronous orbit. Also to be carried on the mission are a pair of
mini satellites from AMSAT France – the French chapter of the
international amateur radio satellite organization.

Ariane 4’s payload fairing carries the Spot 5 logo, as well as the
logo for AMSAT France – whose two 6 kg. mini satellites will remain
attached to Ariane 4’s third stage. The satellites, named IDEFIX, will
be switched on approximately 10 days after launch to transmit recorded
voice messages and digital telemetry data for about 40 days.