Arianespace ready for Ariane 5's first launch of 2013

PARIS, December 8 (Xinhua) -- European space power, Arianespace, has announced that the Ariane 5 is getting ready for its first launch in 2013.

"Preparations are underway for the company's initial heavy-lift flight next year as an Ariane 5 takes shape for an early February mission from French Guiana with the Amazonas 3 and Azerspace/Africasat-1 telecommunications satellites," according to the Arianespace statement received by Xinhua on Saturday.

The mission is designated Flight VA212, signifying the 212th launch of an Ariane vehicle since the European launcher family entered service in December 1979.

Assembly of the vehicle began this week. "The launcher is now ready to be equipped with its cryogenic upper stage and vehicle equipment bay, enabling the Ariane 5's subsequent transfer into the Final Assembly Building for integration of the dual-satellite payload," the Arianespace added.

Built by Orbital Sciences Corporation based on Orbital's Star-2 platform and contracted by Azerbaijan's Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies, the Azerspace/Africasat-1 payload to be orbited on Ariane 5's 2013 year-opening flight is to provide C- and Ku-band communications services to Azerbaijan, Central Asia, Europe and Africa.

At the meanwhile, the Amazonas 3 which is built by Space Systems/Loral will be positioned at the 61 deg. West orbital slot, providing relay capacity through 52 simultaneous transponders. It will be utilized by Spanish satellite communication operator HISPASAT and its Brazilian subsidiary, HISPAMAR Satellites.

The Arianespace confirmed that Flight VA212 will maintain its sustained heavy-lift mission cadence with Ariane 5, which was demonstrated again during 2012.

Six Ariane 5 missions have been performed so far this year from the Spaceport, with another planned for December 19. In other activity at the Spaceport in 2012, two medium-lift Soyuz flights were conducted by Arianespace, along with the light-lift Vega's maiden launch.

Adding to the year's activity was a Soyuz mission from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan that was launched by Arianespace's Starsem affiliate.