<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n L2 Resources: Ariane 4, Ariane 5, Vega, Soyuz Launch Vehicle Manuals. Pictures of Soyuz launch complex construction at Kourou, plus more.<\/font><\/p>\n **LIVE EVENT PAGES FOR Ariane 5 GS RASCOM-QAF1 and HORIZONS 2 Launch**<\/font><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n <\/em>**FREE Ariane 5 GS RASCOM-QAF1 and HORIZONS 2 Launch Video**<\/font><\/em> \u2013 available now \u2013 <\/em>Free to all forum members (registration is free \u2013 we do not use your e-mail for spam, only to send you your forum password \u2013 which is automated. The Ariane 5 GS is the latest evolution of the Ariane-5 Generic launcher, produced after the end of the Ariane 5 G+ series. This version integrates more recent elements produced in the frame of the Ariane 5 ECA and Ariane 5 ES ATV developments. <\/font><\/p>\n Ariane 5 GS consists of EAP boosters with more propellant in the S1 segments, a composite VEB with the electrical equipments identical to those produced for the Ariane 5 ECA version, and an EPS stage loaded with 300 kg more propellant. The central core stage (EPC) uses the Vulcain 1B engine which delivers a thrust level of 110 tonnes. The first flight of the Ariane 5 GS version took place successfully on 11 August 2005.<\/font><\/p>\n The Ariane 5\u2019s two passengers, RASCOM-QAF1 and Horizons-2, will be released in sequence during the 32-min. flight. RASCOM-QAF1 is the upper satellite in the mission\u2019s payload \u2018stack,\u2019 with Horizons-2 installed below it inside the SYLDA multiple payload dispenser. <\/font><\/p>\n <\/p>\n RASCOM-QAF1 is the first pan-African telecommunications satellite, and it weighs approximately 3,200 kg. for launch. Built by Thales Alenia Space as part of a turnkey contract with RASCOMSTAR-QAF, the satellite is fitted with 12 Ku-band and eight C-band transponders. RASCOM-QAF1 will provide telecommunications, direct TV broadcast and Internet access services during an operating lifetime of 15 years. <\/p>\n The 2,300-kg. Horizons-2 payload was produced by Orbital Sciences, and is to be operated by the Horizons 2 Satellite LLC joint venture of Intelsat and Japan\u2019s JSAT. Its 20 Ku-band transponders will meet the growing demand for telecommunications, HDTV and IP-based content distribution in North America. Horizons-2\u2019s coverage will be provided over the continental United States, the Caribbean and parts of Canada. <\/p>\n Friday\u2019s launch will mark the first time Arianespace has performed six Ariane 5 missions in one year \u2013 and it follows the workhorse vehicle\u2019s successful dual-passenger flights in March, May, August, October and November. The 10 telecommunications satellites delivered by Ariane 5s so far in 2007 represent a combined payload mass of more than 37,000 kg. <\/p>\n <\/font><\/p>\n Arianespace is in the process of accelerating its launch rate to meet customer demand, building to a stabilized pace of eight Ariane 5 missions annually by 2009.<\/font><\/p>\n <\/font>Full mission background is available on the live event page \u2013 linked above<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Arianespace are in the conclusion of their successful year, with the dual launch of the RASCOM-QAF1 and HORIZONS 2 satellites via their Ariane 5 GS launch vehicle. Launch was delayed to 9:41pm GMT \u2013 following two holds due to launch pad issues. NASASpaceflight.com covered the launch as a live event, with background, live updates, images […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41519"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41519"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41519\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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<\/font>Mission background:<\/font><\/u><\/em><\/p>\n<\/font><\/p>\n