Ariane
Europe's Ariane rocket first launched in 1979 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Ariane 5 is today the cornerstone of Europe’s independent access to space. Currently in development, Ariane 6 will soon continue this adventure.
ESA’s Ariane programme has been leading Europe to the forefront of space transportation for over 40 years. It is a triumph of engineering and the prize of great European industrial and political cooperation. As the size of satellites grew, Ariane 1 gave way to the more powerful version 2, 3, and 4. Today’s Ariane 5 is a highly reliable heavy-lift rocket able to place single or multiple payloads in any orbit. ESA extends this by offering more versatility and flexibility with its future Ariane 6.
Notable ESA launches
- 1999 – XMM-Newton
- 2002 – Envisat
- 2003 – Smart-1
- 2004 – Rosetta
- 2008 – 19 360 kg Jules Verne ATV to ISS
- 2009 – Herschel/Planck Observatory
- 2018 – Four Galileo satellites
- 2018 – BepiColombo
- all orbits
- payloads single or multiple
- >10 t payload to GTO
- reliable
Latest
-
VideoEnabling & Support
Timelapse: Ariane 6 upper stage installed for tests
-
VideoEnabling & Support
Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana
-
ImageEnabling & Support
Ariane 5 liftoff
-
ImageEnabling & Support
Ariane 5 liftoff © Trevor Mahlmann
-
ImageEnabling & Support
Ariane 5 soars to space ©John Kraus
-
VideoEnabling & Support
Ariane 6 at Europe's Spaceport
-
VideoEnabling & Support
Ariane 6 launch complex - March 2020
-
VideoEnabling & Support
ESA Space Transportation
