The two telecommunications satellites for Arianespace’s next heavy-lift Ariane 5 launch – SKY Brasil-1 and Telkom 3S – have been fueled in preparation for liftoff next week from the Spaceport in French Guiana.

This flight will be the initial Ariane 5 mission in 2017 and the second of up to 12 Arianespace launches during the year operated with the company’s launcher family, which also includes the medium-lift Soyuz and lightweight Vega.

Ariane 5’s overall payload lift performance for the upcoming flight – set for February 14 from the Spaceport’s ELA-3 launch zone – is more than 10.4 metric tons. Its two passengers will be deployed into geostationary transfer orbit during a profile lasting just under 40 minutes.

The mission is designated Flight VA235 in Arianespace’s numbering system, signifying the 235th launch of an Ariane family vehicle from the Spaceport since the series of European-built launchers entered service in December 1979.

Payload fairing logos for the mission’s two passengers

Ahead of the satellites’ integration on Ariane 5, the ogive-shaped payload fairing that will protect them during initial climb-out through the atmosphere has been adorned with decals representing the two satellites’ operators and the spacecraft manufacturers.

Affixed on the fairing’s upper position are logos for the SKY Brasil-1 satellite, to be utilized by AT&T/DIRECTV via its DIRECTV Latin America subsidiary to expand direct-to-home high definition programming. The spacecraft will be separated first during the Flight VA235 sequence, and is to provide coverage over Brazil once operational from its geostationary orbital slot.

SKY Brasil-1 was built by Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse, France, using the Eurostar E3000 platform.

Flight VA235’s Telkom 3S passenger will be integrated in Ariane 5’s lower payload position for release during the mission’s second deployment phase. This satellite will provide high-definition television services, as well as mobile communications and internet applications for Telkom Indonesia. It was built by Thales Alenia Space in Toulouse and Cannes, France using a Spacebus 4000B2 platform.

Up to seven Ariane 5 liftoffs planned during 2017

The Ariane 5 for next week’s launch currently is in the Spaceport’s Final Integration Building, where it is ready for installation of the two satellite passengers. It was delivered to Arianespace by Airbus Safran Launchers, production prime contractor for the heavy-lift vehicle.

Arianespace’s busy mission manifest for 2017 – to be confirmed based on payload availability – foresees up to seven Ariane 5 launches during the year, joined by three missions utilizing Vega and two with Soyuz.

The year’s activity began on January 27, when a Soyuz lofted Europe’s Hispasat 36W-1 telecommunications satellite on the medium-lift launcher’s first mission from French Guiana to geostationary transfer orbit.

Larger versions of the photos above are available for downloading in the gallery.

More details on Ariane 5 Flight VA235 are available in the launch kit: