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ARIANESPACE FLIGHT 156

December 5: The launcher and satellite are ready!

It was a busy day for Flight 156 as both the Ariane 4 and its 
satellite payload completed major pre-launch steps at the Spaceport 
today. Liftoff of Flight 156 is planned for this month, carrying the 
NSS-6 telecommunications payload for New Skies Satellites.

Lockheed Martin built the NSS-6 spacecraft, which carries transponders 
for high-performance Ku-band beams. Flight 156 will be Arianespace's 
second launch for New Skies Satellites. The first was last April, when 
Flight 150 placed the NSS-7 satellite into a highly accurate 
geostationary transfer orbit.

Flight 156's Ariane 4 emerged into the sunlight as it left the 
vertical assembly facility on the way to the Spaceport's ELA-2 launch 
zone. This is Arianespace's second-to-last mission of an Ariane 4, 
which is being replaced by the new-generation Ariane 5. Ariane 4 has 
been in service since 1988. The version used for Flight 156 is an 
Ariane 4 44L - which is equipped with four large liquid strap-on 
boosters for augmented thrust at liftoff and during initial climb-out.

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