The first stage main engines still firing. Liftoff of Arianespace Flight 122 with the Orion-2 spacecraft to serve as a new telecommunications bridge across the Atlantic. The vehicle has cleared the tower. Minus 1 minute. The Ariane 44LP rocket equipment being switched to onboard batteries.
All systems remain go for launch.
In the final seconds of the countdown, activities will include releasing the inertial platform at minus 9 seconds, and the release command to the retraction system for the two cryogenic arms will be given at minus 5 seconds. After clearing the tower, the rocket will complete a pitch maneuver for positioning on the proper launch trajectory. Orion-2 is planned to be injected into an orbit with a perigee of 200 km, apogee of 59,955 km and inclination of 7 degrees. Minus 2 minutes. Today's launch will be the 121st for an Ariane rocket, the 90th for an Ariane 4, the 21st to fly in the Ariane 44LP configuration and Arianespace's 6th launch of 1999.