Photos: Ariane 5’s fiery climb to space from French Guiana

A European Ariane 5 rocket fired into a gloomy sky Thursday over French Guiana and streaked into space from the tropical launch base with 2.9 million pounds of thrust from two solid rocket boosters and a hydrogen-fueled Vulcain 2 main engine.

Imagery released by Arianespace and CNES — operator of the Ariane 5 rocket and the Guiana Space Center, respectively — illustrate the fiery power of the Ariane 5 rocket.

The nearly 180-foot-tall (54.8-meter) rocket lifted off at 6:05 p.m. French Guiana time (4:05 p.m. EST; 2105 GMT) on Jan. 16, about a half-hour before sunset at the remote jungle space base located on the northeastern shore of South America.

The Ariane 5 delivered the Eutelsat Konnect and GSAT 30 communications satellites into orbit for Paris-based Eutelsat and the Indian Space Research Organization.

A highlights video and spectacular still images from the Ariane 5 launch are posted below.

Read more about the mission.

Video credit: Arianespace

Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – JM Guillon
Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – JM Guillon
Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – JM Guillon
Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – JM Guillon
Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – JM Guillon
Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – JM Guillon
Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – JM Guillon
Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – P. Baudon
Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Photo Optique Video du CSG – P. Baudon

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