BY SPACEFLIGHT NOW

July 16, 2001 -- Follow the preparations and launch of the Arianespace Ariane 510 rocket carrying the Artemis and BSAT-2b communications satellites. Reload this page for the very latest on the mission.

MONDAY, JULY 16, 2001

The outside investigative panel charged with determining why the Ariane 5 rocket malfunctioned last week and how to fix the problem has been appointed by Arianespace, the European Space Agency and the French space agency CNES. Read our full story.

FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2001

The upper stage of the Ariane 5 failed to deliver its full thrust and shut down early during Thursday's botched launch that left two satellite payloads in the wrong orbit, Arianespace officials said Friday. Read our full story.

THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2001
2305 GMT (7:05 p.m. EDT)

Europe's Ariane 5 commercial rocket suffered a major setback Thursday when it failed to deliver a pricey experimental communications technology satellite and a TV broadcasting spacecraft into the correct orbit, possibly resulting in a $1 billion loss. Read our full story.

2251 GMT (6:51 p.m. EDT)

ARIANE 5 REACHES LOW ORBIT. Arianespace has just announced that the upper stage of the Ariane 5 rocket suffered a "defect" that resulted in a lower than planned orbit tonight. The apogee is reported to be 17,500 km of a targeted 36,000 km, and perigee achieved is 600 km of the planned 800 km. Efforts are underway to recover the satellites that were not placed into their intended geosynchronous transfer orbits, officials say.

It is unclear if the satellites have enough fuel to compensate for such a shortfall.

2247 GMT (6:47 p.m. EDT)

Arianespace commentator says "something" happened during separation of one of the satellite payloads tonight. However, officials haven't said what happened or which spacecraft this affected.

2240 GMT (6:40 p.m. EDT)

Arianespace is delaying its traditional post-launch speeches, saying officials are reviewing the events of spacecraft separation. Stay tuned! We will update this page as soon as information becomes available.

2231 GMT (6:31 p.m. EDT)

Plus+33 minutes, 45 seconds. BSAT-2b SEPARATION! Arianespace confirms the Japanese BSAT-2b direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite has been released from the Ariane 510 rocket. The craft will become an in-space spare to its twin -- BSAT-2a that was launched in March aboard the last Ariane 5 rocket.

Check back a little later this evening for a complete wrap-up story on this launch and look ahead to the next Ariane mission scheduled for August.

2229 GMT (6:29 p.m. EDT)

Plus+31 minutes. Altitude 2,440 km, velocity 7.4 km/sec.

2226 GMT (6:26 p.m. EDT)

Plus+28 minutes, 30 seconds. The Sylda 5 dual payload adapter will be jettisoned. This barrel-like structure held the Artemis satellite during launch and enclosed BSAT-2b. Now that Sylda is separated, the upper stage will reorient itself and prepare for deployment of BSAT-2b.

2225 GMT (6:25 p.m. EDT)

Plus+27 minutes, 5 seconds. ARTEMIS SEPARATION! The European Space Agency's Artemis communications technology demonstration spacecraft has been released into space from the Ariane 5 rocket.

2224 GMT (6:24 p.m. EDT)

Plus+26 minutes. Confirmation that the upper stage has shutdown to complete powered flight for the launch. The stage will now spin up to a few revolutions per minute and provide proper pointing for deployment of the Artemis and BSAT-2b satellites.

2223 GMT (6:23 p.m. EDT)

Plus+25 minutes, 30 seconds. Altitude 1,518 km, velocity 8.11 km/sec.

2222 GMT (6:22 p.m. EDT)

Plus+24 minutes, 30 seconds. About two minutes left in the propulsion from the upper stage. Altitude 1,374 km, velocity 8.14 km/sec.

2221 GMT (6:21 p.m. EDT)

Plus+23 minutes. Altitude is 1,174 km, velocity is 8.1 km/sec.

2220 GMT (6:20 p.m. EDT)

Plus+22 minutes. The Malinda downrange tracking station in Kenya, Africa has acquired the rocket's signal.

2219 GMT (6:19 p.m. EDT)

Plus+21 minutes. A smooth flight of the Ariane 510 launcher continues above the central Atlantic Ocean. Altitude is 938 km, velocity is 8.06 km/sec.

2217 GMT (6:17 p.m. EDT)

Plus+19 minutes, 30 seconds. Ariane 5 continues to perform as expected. Trajectory is normal. Altitude is 783 km, velocity is 8.04 km/sec.

2215 GMT (6:15 p.m. EDT)

Plus+17 minutes, 30 seconds. Altitude is 604 km, velocity is 8.0 km/sec.

2214 GMT (6:14 p.m. EDT)

Plus+16 minutes, 30. About 10 minutes left in the burn of the Ariane 5 rocket's upper stage. No problems have been reported during today's launch. Altitude currently 527 km, velocity is 7.98 km/sec.

2212 GMT (6:12 p.m. EDT)

Plus+14 minutes. Upper stage continues its burn. Altitude 357 km, velocity is 7.9 km/sec.

2209 GMT (6:09 p.m. EDT)

Plus+11 minutes. Altitude currently 227 km, velocity is 7.8 km/sec.

2208 GMT (6:08 p.m. EDT)

Plus+10 minutes. The main cryogenic stage's Vulcain engine has cut off and the stage has separated. The engine consumed 160 tons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen during the launch. It will fall back into the atmosphere over the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The upper stage, the storable propellant stage, has ignited to deliver the payloads to geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Meanwhile, the vehicle has passed out of range from the Kourou tracking station.

2207 GMT (6:07 p.m. EDT)

Plus+9 minutes, 15 seconds. Coming up on main stage shutdown. Vehicle gaining altitude again. Altitude currently 171 km, velocity is 7.3 km/sec.

2206 GMT (6:06 p.m. EDT)

Plus+8 minutes, 10 seconds. The Natal tracking station has acquired signal from the Ariane 5 rocket.

2205 GMT (6:05 p.m. EDT)

Plus+7 minutes, 30 seconds. Now in the period of flight were the rocket's altitude levels out a bit in order to gain speed. Altitude currently 160.9 km, velocity is 4.95 km/sec.

2204 GMT (6:04 p.m. EDT)

Plus+6 minutes, 30 seconds. Main stage continues to fire. Altitude is 161 km, velocity is 4.05 km/sec.

2203 GMT (6:03 p.m. EDT)

Plus+5 minutes, 40 seconds. The rocket remains on the proper course with system parameters reported normal. Altitude is 158 km, velocity is 3.4 km/sec.

2202 GMT (6:02 p.m. EDT)

Plus+4 minutes. Altitude is 130 km, velocity is 2.6 km/sec.

2201 GMT (6:01 p.m. EDT)

Plus+3 minutes, 23 seconds. The protective payload fairing has been separated from the Ariane 5. The vehicle now weighs 20 percent of what it did at liftoff.

2201 GMT (6:01 p.m. EDT)

Plus+3 minutes. Altitude is 98 km, velocity is 2.2 km/sec.

2200 GMT (6:00 p.m. EDT)

Plus+2 minutes, 30 seconds. The solid rocket boosters have been jettisoned from the Ariane 5 rocket's core stage. The boosters provided 90 percent of the liftoff thrust. The liquid-fueled Vulcain main engine continues to fire to propel the vehicle and its cargos to orbit.

2159 GMT (5:59 p.m. EDT)

Plus+1 minute, 30 seconds. Good flight so far for the Ariane 510 rocket.

2159 GMT (5:59 p.m. EDT)

Plus+1 minute. Ariane 5 on the proper trajectory. Vehicle parameters are normal.

2158 GMT (5:58 p.m. EDT)

Plus+30 seconds. Rocket has completed its pitch and rolls maneuvers as it heads downrange from the South American jungle.

2158 GMT (5:58 p.m. EDT)

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of Europe's Ariane 5 rocket on its tenth flight.

2157 GMT (5:57 p.m. EDT)

Minus-40 seconds. Vehicle now on internal power.

2157 GMT (5:57 p.m. EDT)

Minus-1 minute. A fast-paced series of events leading to launch will begin at Minus 37 seconds when the automated ignition sequence is started. The water suppression system at the launch pad will start at Minus 30 seconds. At Minus 22 seconds, overall control will be given to the onboard computer. The Vulcain main engine will be readied for ignition with hydrogen chilldown starting at Minus 18 seconds. The residual hydrogen burn flares will fire beneath the Vulcain engine at Minus 7 seconds to burn away any free hydrogen gas. At Minus 3 seconds, onboard systems take over and the two inertial guidance systems go to flight mode. Vulcain main engine ignition occurs at Minus 0 seconds with checkout between Plus+4 and 7 seconds. If there are no problems found, the solid rocket boosters are ignited at Plus+7.3 seconds.

2155 GMT (5:55 p.m. EDT)

Minus-3 minutes. All systems remain ready for flight. The scheduled launch time has been loaded into the rocket's main computer system. Main stage tank pressures now at flight level.

2154 GMT (5:54 p.m. EDT)

Minus-4 minutes. Pressurization now underway for the main cryogenic stage's liquid oxygen and hydrogen tanks. Also, final pyrotechnic arming has started. Liftoff remains planned for 2158 GMT (5:58 p.m. EDT).

2153 GMT (5:53 p.m. EDT)

Minus-5 minutes and counting. The Ariane 5 rocket's two satellite payloads weigh in at 4,403 kg (9,686 pounds). The targeted orbit to be achieved by the launcher today is 35,853 km high with a perigee of 858 km and inclination of 2 degrees to the equator.

2151 GMT (5:51 p.m. EDT)

Minus-7 minutes and counting. Synchronized Sequence start. Computers are now in control of this final segment of the launch countdown to prepare the rocket and ground systems for liftoff. There are two computers running the countdown -- one aboard the Ariane 5 and a redundant one at the ELA-3 launch complex.

2149 GMT (5:49 p.m. EDT)

Minus-9 minutes and counting. The Synchronized Sequence will begin in the next two minutes to control the countdown through liftoff.

The final weather update has verified that conditions will be acceptable for launch at 2158 GMT, which promises to be spectacular with liftoff coming at sunset.

2147 GMT (5:47 p.m. EDT)

Minus-11 minutes and counting. All systems remain "go" for launch today. Today's mission will be the 142nd for an Ariane rocket, the 5th of 2001 and the tenth of Ariane 5.

2143 GMT (5:43 p.m. EDT)

Minus-15 minutes and counting. A network of tracking stations are standing ready to relay data from the Ariane 5 rocket to engineers in Kourou. The early portion of flight will be monitored through the Kourou and Cayenne stations in French Guiana. About 8 minutes into flight the Natal station in Brazil will pick up the rocket's signal as the main stage separates and the upper stage burn gets underway. At Plus 12 minutes, 8 seconds the site on Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean will begin coverage. Malindi in Africa will provide services starting at Plus 23 minutes, 1 second through the spacecraft separation.

2138 GMT (5:38 p.m. EDT)

Minus-20 minutes and counting. The countdown is proceeding on schedule for launch of Ariane 510 with the Artemis and BSAT-2b communications spacecraft. The status panel in the Jupiter Control Center is all green with no indication of any technical problems and the weather conditions are acceptable. Liftoff is targeted for 2158 GMT.

2128 GMT (5:28 p.m. EDT)

Now 30 minutes away from the scheduled blastoff time for the tenth Ariane 5 rocket. Arianespace will begin providing countdown status reports from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, starting in about 10 minutes.

At this point in the countdown the rocket should be fully fueled with the main cryogenic stage being continuously topped off to replace the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen supplies that naturally boil away. Also, the final checks of the rocket's telemetry, tracking and command systems are supposed to be finished by now.

1945 GMT (2:45 p.m. EDT)

Arianespace reports the final hours of countdown are ticking away in Kourou for today's planned 2158 GMT (5:58 p.m. EDT) launch of an Ariane 5 rocket. Fueling of the vehicle's main starge with super-cold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen is underway. The weather forecast appears generally favorable with only a chance of isolated thunderstorms.

On this busy space day with the launch of shuttle Atlantis, we will begin our live Ariane coverage at T-minus 30 minutes and continue through the 35-minute flight.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 2001

The 10th Ariane 5 rocket is set to fly on Thursday to propel a European experimental communications satellite and Japanese television broadcast spacecraft into orbit.

Arianespace Flight 142 is expected to blast off at 2158 GMT (5:58 p.m. EDT), at the opening of a 93-minute launch window. Liftoff will originate from the ELA-3 launch complex at the European launch site in Kourou, French Guiana.

Inside the Ariane 510's nose cone are the European Space Agency's Advanced Data Relay and Technology Mission satellite (Artemis) and Japanese Broadcasting Satellite System BSAT-2b communications spacecraft.

Preparations for Flight 142 began on March 26, when Artemis arrived at the South American launch site.

The Ariane 510 portion of the launch processing flow was underway on May 29, followed the next day by the lifting of the Ariane 5 first stage to the vertical position above the launch table.

The twin solid-fueled boosters were transferred into the launcher integration building and positioned alongside the Ariane 5 cryogenic first stage on May 31. The three components were mated together the next day.

The rocket's storable propellant upper stage was integrated on June 6, followed up on June 7 by the stacking of the vehicle equipment bay, which is commonly called the "brains" of the launcher because it is responsible for all the systems that are critical to a successful flight.

On June 13, the Artemis satellite's fueling operations began and Artemis' payload counterpart -- BSAT-2b -- arrived at the Guiana Space Center to begin its round of testing. BSAT-2b was filled with its propellant starting on June 25.

The nearly complete Ariane 510 rolled out of the launcher integration building and into the nearby final assembly building, where it later met its two satellite passengers.

The Artemis spacecraft was attached to the Sylda 5 dual-payload adapter on June 29 and BSAT-2b was placed atop the vehicle equipment bay itself on July 2. The combined Sylda 5, Artemis, and payload fairing stack was placed atop the launcher (with BSAT-2b attached) on July 4.

The Ariane's second stage was filled with its fuel and oxidizer on July 6 and July 9, respectively. A launch rehearsal was also held on Monday, July 9.

The launch readiness review cleared Flight 142 for launch on Tuesday, followed by final mechanical preparations on the Ariane 510 later in the day.

Check this page on Thursday for live play-by-play updates of the final half-hour of the countdown and launch.