Photos: Ariane 5 rocket blazes into orbit

A powerful Ariane 5 rocket soared into space with a European weather satellite and Brazilian telecom platform this week, lighting up its remote French Guiana spaceport carved out of the jungle on the northern coast of South America.

The 179-foot-tall rocket lifted off at 2142 GMT (5:42 p.m. EDT; 6:42 p.m. French Guiana time), a few minutes before sunset at the tropical launch base.

Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin
Photo credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin

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