The Centaur second stage of the first Lockheed Martin Atlas V booster has been mated to the core first stage at launch complex 36, at Cape Canaveral, Florida, in preparation for pre-launch testing. The Atlas 501 version of the Atlas V, being built under the US Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) programme, will be launched in May by International Launch Services on the first EELV programme launch. It will carry a commercial payload, the Hot Bird 5 communications satellite, for Eutelsat.
Source: Flight International