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Ariane 5 launch timeline
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: May 13, 2009

H0 Main Engine Ignition
The Ariane 5 rocket's first stage Vulcain 2 main engine ignites and undergoes a thorough health check on the launch pad.
H0+00:07.3 Launch
Producing about 2.6 million pounds of thrust, the Ariane 5 rocket's two solid rocket boosters ignite to lift the launcher into the sky.
H0+00:12.5 Start Pitch Maneuver
The Ariane 5 rocket begins to pitch over after rising vertically from the ELA-3 launch pad.
H0+00:17 Start Roll Maneuver
The Ariane 5 rocket starts its roll maneuver to head east away from the Guiana Space Center.
H0+02:18 Booster Separation
The solid rocket boosters exhaust their propellant and are jettisoned from the Ariane 5's first stage at an altitude of about 42 miles.
H0+04:03 Jettison Payload Fairing
The two halves of the Ariane 5's payload fairing are jettisoned once the rocket leaves the thick lower atmosphere. The fairing is jettisoned about 50 seconds later than usual to provide additional protection to the sensitive Herschel telescope.
H0+08:55 Main Stage Shutdown
The cryogenic first stage's Vulcain 2 main engine shuts down as the rocket reaches a velocity of 15,730 mph and an altitude of 133 miles.
H0+09:01 Stage Separation
Explosive bolts fire to separate the Ariane 5's first and second stages.
H0+09:05 Upper Stage Ignition
The cryogenic upper stage's HM7B engine, burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants, ignites to continue the push toward orbit.
H0+24:49 Upper Stage Shutdown
The upper stage's HM7B engine shuts down after reaching an injection orbit stretching from a low point of 168 miles to a high point of 741,682 miles. The targeted orbital inclination is 6 degrees. Relative velocity at upper stage shutdown is 22,296 mph.
H0+25:58 Herschel Separation
The Herschel telescope is deployed from the upper position in the payload stack aboard the Ariane 5 rocket.
H0+27:24 Sylda 5 Separation
The Sylda 5 dual payload adapter is jettisoned to prepare for the separation of Planck. During launch, Herschel is bolted atop the Sylda 5 and Planck sits inside the adapter.
H0+28:29 Planck Separation
The Planck spacecraft is released from the Ariane 5 upper stage.

Data source: Arianespace.