Ariane 5 carrying Herschel and Planck lifts off   Ariane 5 lift off   14 May 2009   At 15:12 CEST, at the beginning of a 55-minute launch window, the Herschel and Planck satellite pair lifted off on board an Ariane 5 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.           Herschel and Planck launch     The satellites are expected to separate from the rocket about half an hour after launch, and establish their first contact with Earth about 10 minutes after separation.     For more information on the critical events following launch, see: The Herschel and Planck launch timeline The Herschel-Planck channel on Twitter       Ariane 5 lift off         Ariane 5 lifts off with Herschel and Planck on board         Ariane 5 lifts off with Herschel and Planck on board        •  Herschel and Planck launch special (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/herschelplanck/index.html)  •  Herschel: ESA's giant infrared observatory (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Herschel/index.html)  •  Planck: looking back at the dawn of time (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Planck/index.html) Related articles  •  ESOC confirms: 'GO' for launch (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM0TCZVNUF_index_0.html)  •  Herschel and Planck launcher declared fit for launch (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMKMF0YDUF_index_0.html)  •  Fairing lowered over satellites in Kourou (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMCOK0YDUF_index_0.html)  •  Herschel and Planck launch timeline (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMVW10YDUF_index_0.html)  •  Herschel and Planck buckled up and ready (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMTM70YDUF_index_0.html) Read more  •  L2, the second Lagrangian Point (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMO4QS1VED_index_0.html) In depth  •  Herschel launch campaign journal (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=31528 &m=372 &t=625,491,490 &MISSION_OPERAND=Match Any (OR) &TOPIC_OPERAND=Match Any (OR) &farchive_objecttypeid=31 &farchive_objectid=30928)  •  Planck launch campaign journal (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=31530 &m=94 &t=625,491,490 &MISSION_OPERAND=Match Any (OR) &TOPIC_OPERAND=Match Any (OR) &farchive_objecttypeid=31 &farchive_objectid=30928)  •  Herschel in depth (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=16)  •  Planck in depth (http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=17)