Preparations for Arianespace's sixth heavy-lift mission of 2015 have advanced into the payload integration phase, with the Indian GSAT-15 satellite passenger making its first contact with launcher hardware.

The milestone for Arianespace Flight VA227 occurred this week at the Spaceport in French Guiana with GSAT-15's installation atop the cone-shaped adapter that will serve as its interface with Ariane 5.

This was followed by the transfer of GSAT-15 from the Spaceport's S5 payload preparation facility to the launcher Final Assembly Building, where it will be readied for installation atop its Ariane 5.

Built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), GSAT-15 will be riding in the lower passenger position, installed inside the SYLDA dispenser system - on which the mission's other passenger, Arabsat-6B, will be placed.

GSAT-15 is to provide telecommunications services, as well as dedicated navigation-aid and emergency services for India. With a liftoff mass set by ISRO at 3,164.5 kg., the relay platform has a design lifetime of 12 years and will operate from an orbital slot at 93.5 East.

Flight VA227 is set for a November 10 liftoff from the ELA-3 launch zone. This will mark Arianespace's 10th launch in a busy year at the Spaceport that targets a total of 12 flights with the company's complete launcher family, which also includes the medium-weight Soyuz and light-lift Vega.