ESA title
Enabling & Support

Ariane 5 Generic

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ESA / Enabling & Support / Space Transportation / Launch vehicles

Main Data Ariane 5G
Height* 46 to 52 m
Diameter up to 5.4 m
Liftoff mass** 746 tonnes
Payload mass*** 6 tonnes GTO
9.5 tonnes SSO

Ariane 5 made its first successful launch on 30 October 1997. Its first operational flight took place in December 1999 when it launched ESA’s X-ray Multi-Mirror (XMM) satellite. Since it became operational Ariane 5 has been used to launch satellites for communications, Earth observation and scientific research.

In order for Ariane 5 to use Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou ESA built a new launch site as well as facilities to integrate the solid boosters and produce the solid propellant they use.

Ariane 5 is used for launches into geostationary orbit, medium and low-Earth orbits and sun-synchronous orbits.

* Double launch

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