WASHINGTON -- With a five month hiatus in commercial rocket launches, the French space agency and the commercial firm Arianespace have taken this unusual period of inactivity to give their launch pads at the Kourou French Guiana spaceport a make over of sorts.

The result may be a boost in efficiency for these workhorse facilities that in an average year see a dozen launches or more from the Ariane 4 and 5 space complexes in South America.

This year Ariane launches have been delayed due to increasing problems getting multiple satellite cargoes ready for launch. Arianespace has had to split up satellites and even has resorted to using the Ariane 4 workhorse to fly single spacecraft payloads, a move to soak up the backlog bottleneck. Ariane 4 is designed for, and is more cost effective with, multiple satellites.

During the standdown since the last Ariane 4 in March, the ELA 2 launch complex, home to Ariane 4 boosters, received an updating. Flame trenches that carry the fire and blast from the boosters ignition were changed out or serviced. Buildings nearby on the launching complex were given new anti-corrosion treatments. Over on the larger ELA 3 facility used by the Ariane 5, workers have modified launch equipment to be compatible with the upcoming upgrades to the rocket.

The main upgrade was modifications for Ariane 5s new cryogenic upper stage. The super-cold fuel lines for liquid hydrogen had to be added and tested. Current versions of Ariane 5 do not use the hydrogen fuel in its top rocket stage. Other work, such as lengthening payload servicing doors and air conditioning systems were also conducted.

The upgrades come to an end next week when Ariane launches are to be resumed. Lift-off of Ariane 4 flight V118 is scheduled for Aug. 4. The rocket was moved from its assembly complex to its launch stand June 26 and its Telkom 1 satellite payload arrived at the spaceport July 6.

A countdown dress rehearsal was completed last Friday. No sooner is V118 to clear the pad when the V-120 launcher will begin final preparations, aiming for a launch August 26. That rocket is now being stacked in its assembly building, and the boosters Koreasat 1 satellite is also being checked out.

French space officials are to set a launch date for V-119, the next Ariane 5 launch, later this summer.