Arianespace said Tuesday its technicians at the S5 assembly facility in Kourou are conducting the pre-launch check for both satellite payloads due to lift off aboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket next month.
The THAICOM 5 and Satmex 6 telecom satellites, both of which recently arrived at Europe’s Spaceport, are progressing through their preparation process, while the Ariane 5 ECA is being readied in the launcher assembly building.
Satmex 6 is based on a Space Systems/Loral FS-1300X satellite bus. It carries 36 C-band transponders for Continental U.S. and South America and Continental coverage, along with and 24 Ku-Band transponders serving the U.S., Mexico and Continental regions, with a hot spot over the major cities in South America.
The satellite will have a mass at liftoff of approximately 5,700 kilograms (12,600 pounds), and will be operated by Mexico’s Satelites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V.
THAICOM 5 will join the satellite fleet of Thailand’s Shin Satellite Public Company Limited. THAICOM 5 is equipped with 14 Ku-band transponders and 24 C-band transponders.
The May mission will be the second Arianespace flight of 2006, and follows the March 11 dual-payload launch of the SPAINSAT and HOT BIRDTM 7A telecom platforms into geostationary transfer orbits.
