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Ariane 5 Rolls Out

Ariane 5 Rolls Out

11 February 2004

Yesterday the Ariane 5 spacecraft, minus its payload, was moved from the BIL (Batiment d'Integration des Lanceurs) to BAF (Batiment d'Assemblage Final).

Transfer began at 10:15 a.m., local time, on a bright French Guiana morning, and lasted for 30 minutes. The vehicle is shown as it leaves the Launcher Integration Building on its mobile launch table.
Midway in the transfer process, the Ariane 5 and its launch table are framed by blue skies and French Guiana vegetation. A temporary dome covers the launcher's central core stage, providing protection for the EPS upper stage and vehicle equipment bay.
Ariane 5 nears the completion of the transfer process as it approaches the Final Integration Building at the Spaceport. This building's height provides sufficient room for the Rosetta space probe and its protective payload fairing to be hoisted up and installed atop Ariane 5.
Last Update: 1 September 2019