The FIRST satellite will be carried into space by Planck, an ESA mission due for launch in 2007. After launch, Planck and FIRST will separate and will be placed in different orbits around the second Lagrangian point of the Earth-Sun System. Planck will survey the cool background of radio microwaves which fill the sky, apparently a relic of the Big Bang at the origin of the Universe. FIRST will open a new generation of giant space telescopes, observing light re-emitted by galactic dust, illuminated by the intense star-formation, and hence can be used to measure the total amount of energy produced by new-born stars. The ultimate goal of the Planck mission is to help astronomers understand how some primeval galaxies formed, in order to test theories describing the birth and evolution of the Universe.
This video contains 3-D graphics detailing the launch configuration of the Planck mission (known as ""Carrier""); 3-D graphics of FIRST/Planck in Ariane 5 fairing; live footage of an Ariane 5 launch sequence; 3-D grap

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