Arianespace’s next Ariane 5 flight has been authorized for liftoff on December 4 following today’s launch readiness review, which was conducted at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

This milestone confirmed that the heavy-lift launcher and its dual-satellite payload are flight-ready, along with the Spaceport’s infrastructure and the network of downrange tracking stations.

With approval granted, Ariane 5 is cleared for its December 3 rollout from the Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone. Liftoff will occur the following day during a 1-hour, 16-minute launch window that opens at 5:37 p.m. local time in French Guiana.

Dual-payload performance

Ariane 5 will deliver a lift performance of more than 10,200 kg. on the mission to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), which is designated Flight VA246. This total includes the GSAT-11 and GEO-KOMPSAT-2A satellite passengers, and also factors in the workhorse vehicle’s dual-payload deployment system and integration hardware.

The GSAT-11 satellite – produced by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) – will ride in the upper position of Ariane 5’s payload arrangement, to be deployed first during the 33-min. flight sequence. To be positioned at 74 deg. East, GSAT-11 is configured to provide communications services from geostationary orbit.

Located below GSAT-11 in the launcher payload arrangement is the mission’s lower passenger – GEO-KOMPSAT-2A – which was developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). It was designed to conduct meteorological and space weather monitoring missions, and will be stationed at the 128.2 deg. East orbital location.

Launch window for Flight VA246:

French Guiana UTC Bangalore Seoul / Tokyo Paris Between 5:37 p.m.

and 6:53 p.m.

on Dec. 4 Between 20:37

and 21:53

on Dec. 4 Between 2:07 a.m.

and 3:23 a.m.

on Dec. 5 Between 5:37 a.m.

and 6:53 a.m.

on Dec. 5 Between 9:37 p.m.

and 10:53 p.m.

on Dec. 4

More details are available in the VA246 launch kit: