[10-24-07 – Satellite Today] The Ariane 5 ECA launcher has been delivered to Arianespace at their Spaceport in French Guiana, the company announced Oct. 23.

The spacecraft has to undergo payload integration and final checkout before its launch on Nov. 9. The launcher will carry the United Kingdom’s Skynet 5B military communications satellite and Brazil’s Star One C1 telecommunications platform.

This will be Arianespace’s fifth Ariane 5 mission this year, following flights in March, May, August and October that delivered eight telecommunications satellites into geostationary orbit. Arianespace plans to launch one more Ariane 5 mission before the end of 2007.