Check out photos of Europe’s Ariane 5 launcher in the starting blocks at its tropical spaceport awaiting liftoff with two commercial television relay stations.
The launch from French Guiana is set for Thursday at 2010 GMT (4:10 p.m. EDT) carrying satellites into orbit for Eutelsat and Intelsat. It will be the 81st flight of an Ariane 5 rocket dating back to 1996.
Photo credit: Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. PironPhoto credit: Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. PironPhoto credit: Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. PironPhoto credit: Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. PironPhoto credit: Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. PironPhoto credit: Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. Piron
Follow the major events during the launch of Europe’s LISA Pathfinder gravitational probe testbed, from liftoff of its Vega rocket booster from French Guiana through deployment into its initial orbit.
A reconnaissance satellite built in secrecy in France for the Moroccan government launched Tuesday on top of a Vega rocket from the Guiana Space Center in South America.
An Ariane 5 launcher uniquely modified to loft four of Europe’s Galileo navigation satellites on one flight has received its payload for liftoff next week in French Guiana.
