The ABS-2 and Athena-Fidus satellites for launch by Ariane 5 are welcomed in French Guiana

ABS-2 and Athena-Fidus begin their Spaceport preparations for Arianespace’s launch on Ariane 5

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The ABS-2 satellite is removed from its shipping container to begin pre-launch processing at the Spaceport for launch on Ariane 5.

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Processing has begun for the two payloads to be orbited by Arianespace on Ariane 5: the multi-mission ABS-2, with telecommunications coverage for 60 percent of the world’s population; and Athena-Fidus, which is to provide data transmission services for the French and Italian defense ministries, as well as these countries' security organizations.

Both spacecraft are advanced relay platforms, with ABS-2 to become one of the most powerful commercial satellites launched in the Eastern Hemisphere, and Athena-Fidus deploying the latest civil telecom standards – DVB-RCS and DVB-S2 – to ensure optimum transmission capacity and service availability.

The Ariane 5 mission with ABS-2 and Athena-Fidus is planned for early 2014 on Arianespace’s Flight VA217, to be conducted from the Spaceport in French Guiana.

ABS-2 is a C-, Ku- and Ka-band satellite designed to provide multiple services that include direct-to-home and cable television distribution, VSAT services, data networks, and telecommunications services across four continents.  Built by Space Systems/Loral (SSL), it will be positioned at 75 deg. East longitude – which is the prime geostationary orbital location for global satellite operator ABS.

Athena-Fidus is a geostationary satellite equipped with EHF and Ka-band transponders for the defense requirements of France and Italy, while also serving such operations as civil security, homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting in the countries.  It was built by program prime contractor Thales Alenia Space on behalf of the French and Italian space agencies (CNES and ASI), as well as the French DGA and Italian Segredifesa defense ministry organizations.

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Arianespace: first Ariane 5 launches in 2014

Just a few hours after the successful launch of the European Space Agency Gaia satellite, Arianespace can confirm the dates of its first two Ariane 5 launches for 2014.

• 23 January 2014, an Ariane 5 ECA (VA217) will place into orbit two telecommunications satellites: ABS-2 for ABS and ATHENA-FIDUS for Telespazio, for the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI).

• 19 February 2014, the VA216 launch vehicle will place into orbit ASTRA 5B for SES and AMAZONAS 4A for Hispasat.

Stéphane Israël, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace said that he “would like to thank the clients of these two launches for their trust, and in particular the Luxembourg operator SES for accepting the February launch. The excellent collaboration between our teams has enabled us to plan these two missions for the early weeks of 2014. Once again Arianespace has shown commitment and flexibility in serving its clients."

About Arianespace

The Athena-Fidus satellite is readied for Arianespace’s first heavy-lift mission of 2014

Following its initial checkout in the Spaceport’s S1A clean room at French Guiana, the Athena-Fidus relay satellite is transferred to the S5 payload preparation center for its fueling.

The multi-role Athena-Fidus satellite has completed initial checkout at the Spaceport as it is readied for a dual-payload, geostationary transfer orbit launch on Arianespace’s first flight in 2014.

To be lofted January 23 from French Guiana along with the ABS-2 spacecraft aboard a heavy-lift Arianespace Ariane 5, this mission will commence a very busy 2014 – with 12 to 14 launches in preparation.

The year-opening mission carrying Athena-Fidus and ABS-2 is designated Flight VA217 in Arianespace’s numbering system, signifying the 217th launch of an Ariane vehicle since the European-developed launcher family began operations on December 24, 1979.

Athena-Fidus was built by program prime contractor Thales Alenia Space on behalf of the French CNES and Italian ASI space agencies, as well as the French DGA and Italian Segredifesa defense ministry organizations. It will provide data transmission services for the French and Italian defense ministries, as well as these countries' security organizations.            

The satellite carries EHF and Ka-band transponders for the defense requirements of the two nations, while also serving such operations as civil and homeland security, law enforcement and firefighting.  It derives the Athena-Fidus name from the program reference “Access on theatres for European allied forces nations-French Italian dual use satellite,” and is based on a Spacebus 4000 relay platform.  With a liftoff mass of more than 3,000 kg., the spacecraft has an operational design life exceeding 15 years.

Joining Athena-Fidus on the dual-payload Ariane 5 mission is ABS-2 – a C-, Ku- and Ka-band satellite designed to provide global satellite operator ABS with multiple services that include direct-to-home and cable television distribution, VSAT services, data networks, and telecommunications services. 

Ariane Flight VA217; Ariane 5 ECA – ABS-2 – Athena Fidus: Launch postponed

With a change-out of equipment necessary on the VA 217 Ariane 5 ECA launcher, Arianespace has decided to postpone by a few days this mission – originally scheduled for January 23.

A new date for the mission will be announced very soon. 

The ABS global satellite operator’s ABS-2 relay platform is fueled for launch on Ariane 5

Both payloads for Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 flight are mated to the launcher

Ariane Flight VA217

The heavy-lift Ariane 5 for Arianespace’s year-opening February 6 flight from French Guiana is now complete following integration of its full payload “stack,” consisting of the ABS-2 and Athena-Fidus advanced relay platforms.

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Ariane 5’s final payload integration – which occurred inside the launch vehicle’s Final Assembly Building – is highlighted in the sequence above. Athena-Fidus is being installed atop the launcher’s core cryogenic stage in the left-hand photo; while at right, the payload fairing containing ABS-2 is lowered over its co-passenger to create the dual-payload “stack.”

Encapsulated in its ogive-shaped protective fairing, ABS-2 was lowered into place yesterday over Athena-Fidus – which had been installed atop Ariane 5’s cryogenic core stage during activity earlier in the week.

These integration steps were performed inside the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building for Ariane 5, and enable a new series of preparation milestones to begin. They include the launch readiness review on February 4, followed by Ariane 5’s rollout to the ELA-3 launch zone the subsequent day.

Liftoff is scheduled during a 2-hr., 5-min. launch window opening February 6 at 5:30 p.m. local time in French Guiana, with the two spacecraft to be deployed on a flight lasting approximately 32 minutes.

Ariane 5 will deliver a payload lift performance of more than 10,200 kg. during the mission, which includes a combined total of over 9,400 kg. for ABS-2 and Athena-Fidus, plus the launch vehicle’s dual-passenger dispenser system and satellite integration hardware.

ABS-2 will ride as the mission’s upper passenger, to be deployed first in its flight sequence. Produced by Space Systems/Loral (SSL) for global satellite operator ABS, it is designed to provide multiple services that include direct-to-home and cable television distribution, VSAT, data networks and telecommunications, as well as the supply of substantial new capacity from the operator’s prime orbital location at 75 deg. East.

Athena-Fidus will be released second from Ariane 5’s lower payload position. The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space as program prime contractor, operating on behalf of the French CNES and Italian ASI space agencies, as well as the French DGA and Italian Segredifesa defense ministry organizations. After deployment by Ariane 5, it will provide data transmission services for the French and Italian defense ministries, as well as these countries' security organizations.

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