Spaceflight

Flight International online news 11:00GMT: An Ariane 5 vehicle is being readied in preparation for Arianespace's next mission on September 29.

The launcher will bear a dual-satellite payload from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.

September's flight will carry the French Syracuse 3A military communications satellite, built by Alcatel Alenia Space for the French DGA defense procurement agency, and the Galaxy 15 commercial telecom spacecraft, produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation for PanAmSat.

Ariane 5 is designed for such dual payloads, allowing satellites to be paired up for cost-effective launches.

The September mission follows successful back-to-back flights during August, in which an Ariane 5 lofted the heavyweight THAICOM 4 (IPSTAR) satellite from the Spaceport, and a Soyuz launcher was used to orbit the Galaxy 14 spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome.

ROSS BENTLEY/LONDON