Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket gears up for its hundredth launch on 25 September

Arianespace SA’s heavy lift rocket Ariane 5’s 100th launch slated for 25 September has been cleared for liftoff from the spaceport in French Guiana, the company said. In a statement, Arianespace said the rocket was cleared for liftoff with a dual satellite payload mass of 10,827 kg by the Launch Readiness Review. The two satellites the rocket would carry are Horizons 3e and Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38. According to the statement, the liftoff of the mission — designated Flight VA243 in Arianespace’s numbering system — is set for 25 September during a launch window that opens at 6.53 pm in French Guiana (3.23 am IST). [caption id=“attachment_5246671” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Artistic rendition of the Horizons 3e and Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 satellites with the Ariane 5 rocket. Image courtesy: Arianespace[/caption] Horizons 3e — to be deployed from Ariane 5’s upper payload slot — is owned by a joint venture of Intelsat and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation. It will provide coverage for aeronautical and maritime mobility, fixed and wireless operators, as well as mobility and government customers. In addition, Horizons 3e is the first satellite in Intelsat’s EpicNG spacecraft series to feature entire Ku-band spot beams utilizing multiport amplifiers that optimize power across the spacecraft. The Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 was produced by SSL, and is designed to provide a range of telecommunications relay duties at the service of its two operators — Intelsat and Azercosmos, a company owned by the government of Azerbaijan Republic, the statement said.