ariane 5

Arianespace’s Ariane 5 dual-passenger heavy-lift launch vehicle is being readied for its next mission on 15 April, to launch Telenor Satellite Broadcasting’s (TSB) THOR 7 satellite and SICRAL 2 satellite.

Designated Flight VA222, the mission will be the third flight for Arianespace’s launcher in 2015.

THOR 7 will be the upper satellite on the launcher, and has been encapsulated in the ogive-shaped payload fairing at the spaceport’s final assembly building.

The completed unit will be placed atop the Sicral 2 payload after the satellite is installed on Ariane 5’s central core.

Arianespace said: "These payload integration activities will complete the launcher build-up for Arianespace’s scheduled April 15 lift-off."

"These payload integration activities will complete the launcher build-up for Arianespace’s scheduled April 15 lift-off."

Built by Space Systems/Loral, the THOR 7 will operate from 1° W longitude to offer high-powered coverage over the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the Red Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean for maritime sector.

The relay platform also incorporates a Ku-band payload for broadcast and television services in central and eastern Europe.

Designed to provide tactical telecommunications links for French and Italian military forces, the The Sicral 2 military telecommunications satellite has reserve capacity for other Nato nations.

Thales Alenia Space Italy developed Sicral 2 as part of a contract from the Italian Defense Ministry and the French DGA armament agency (Direction Générale de l’Armement).

The planned launch comes after 27 March lift-off of Soyuz rocket carrying Galileo full operational capability navigation satellites.

Image: Ariane 5’s payload fairing is lowered over THOR 7. Photo: courtesy of Arianespace.