Ariane 5 SYLDA Structure

Travelling from Switzerland to Germany the SYLDA 5 payload dispenser’s overall height required extensive planning to ensure it would safely traverse the route. After detailed inspections Hermann Paule discovered that transport by road wouldn’t be possible for the entire project due to ongoing construction, therefore other options would need to be explored. Instead of making the journey by road across the border between Switzerland and Germany, the cargo would make use of the Lake Constance ferry. With the structure loaded to a specialist girder frame trailer with hydraulic lifting capabilities the combination could oversail any obstacles, including the railings on approach to the ferry allowing for the safe delivery to meet the customer’s deadline.

Ariane 5 is designed to carry dual satellite launches; to do this the upper stage can be equipped with one of two structures, the SPELTRA or the SYLDA. During a standard dual-launch mission, the upper satellite is released first, then the SPELTRA or SYLDA is jettisoned to release the second.