France successfully launched a new spy satellite on Friday during a midday launch from French Guiana, using Europe's trusted Ariane 5 rocket to send the nearly $1 billion payload to orbit.

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Today's launch was the 35th consecutive success for the Ariane 5 rocket. Jean-Yves Le Gall, Arianespace chairman and CEO, says today's launch went as planned.

Check back later for a full story on today's launch.

HELIOS 2B SEPARATION! The Helios 2B satellite, valued at nearly $1 billion, has been deployed from the Ariane 5 rocket to begin its mission for the French military and its partners.

Plus+57 minutes, 25 seconds. The Ariane 5 and Helios 2B are now in range of the ground station in Perth, Australia. Spacecraft separation is expected at Plus+59 minutes, 23 seconds.

Plus+40 minutes. The Ariane 5's coast phase continues as the rocket flies over Asia. The launch team is currently out communications with the rocket, but the signal will be re-acquired over a ground station in Australia at Plus+57 minutes, 8 seconds.

Plus+26 minutes, 30 seconds. Second stage shutdown. The Ariane 5's upper stage has ended its burn, concluding the powered flight portion of this morning's launch.

The rocket and Helios 2B will coast for the next 33 minutes before the point of spacecraft separation, which will conclude today's launch.

Plus+25 minutes, 30 seconds. Altitude is 678 km and velocity is 7.5 km/sec.

Plus+23 minutes. Cutoff of the upper stage's Aestus engine is scheduled for Plus+26 minutes, 18 seconds. The rocket should be at an altitude of 420 miles at orbital injection.

Plus+20 minutes. Altitude is 756 km, velocity is 6.7 km/sec.

Plus+18 minutes. The Ariane 5's upper stage is shooting for an injection velocity of abot 7.5 kilometers per second, or 16,777 mph. Altitude is now 768 km, velocity is 6.45 km/sec.

The Ariane 5 is leveling off as designed to pick up speed during the last few minutes of the upper stage burn.

Plus+17 minutes. Altitude is 762 km, velocity is 6.4 km/sec.

Plus+14 minutes. The Aestus engine continues to guide the rocket toward orbit. The engine burns hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide propellants.

Plus+12 minutes, 20 seconds. A ground station in St. Hubert, Canada, has now picked up the signal from the Ariane 5 rocket as it approaches the northeast coast of North America.

Plus+11 minutes. Altitude is 520 km, velocity is 6.5 km/sec.

Plus+10 minutes. The first stage's Vulcain main engine has cut off. The spent stage has separated for its fall back into the atmosphere to burn up over the Atlantic Ocean. And storable propellant upper stage's Aestus engine has ignited to begin a burn lasting 16 minutes, 29 seconds.

Plus+6 minutes. Altitude is 238 km, velocity is 3.3 km/sec.

Plus+4 minutes. Altitude is 168 km, velocity is 2.4 km/sec.

Plus+3 minutes, 15 seconds. The Ariane 5's payload fairing has been released.

Plus+2 minutes, 30 seconds. Both solid rocket boosters have been jettisoned from the vehicle. The first stage's hydrogen-fueled Vulcain engine continues to push the rocket toward space.

Plus+2 minutes. The two solid rocket boosters are nearing the end of their burn to propel the 166-foot-tall rocket through the lower atmosphere.

Plus+60 seconds. The Ariane 5 rocket is roaring through sunny skies above the launch site in Kourou, French Guiana. The rocket has gone transonic and nearing maximum aerodynamic pressure.

Plus+30 seconds. The Ariane 5 has completed its pitch and roll maneuvers to fly north from the Guiana Space Center along South America's northeast coast.

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Ariane 5 rocket with Helios 2B, continuing reconnaissance services European militaries.

Minus-1 minute. The Ariane 5 rocket is being switched to internal power.

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-6 seconds to burn away any free hydrogen gas. The cryogenic fueling arm is also retracted at Minus-6 seconds.

At Minus-4 seconds, onboard systems take over and the two inertial guidance systems go to flight mode. The rocket's navigation, guidance and attitude control functions are also activated. Vulcain main engine ignition occurs at Minus-0 seconds with checkout between Plus+4 and Plus+7 seconds. If there are no problems found, the solid rocket boosters are ignited at Plus+7.0 seconds for liftoff at Plus+7.3 seconds.

Minus-2 minutes and counting. The Vulcain engine supply valves are being opened, and the ground valves for engine chilldown are being closed. Electric heaters for the rocket's batteries and the Vulcain ignition system are being turned off.

Minus-3 minutes and counting. The scheduled launch time has been loaded into the rocket's main computer system. The main stage tank pressures should also now be at flight level.

Minus-4 minutes and counting. Pressurization is now underway for the main cryogenic stage's liquid oxygen and hydrogen tanks. Also, final pyrotechnic arming is starting.

Minus-5 minutes and counting. Nothing is standing in the way of liftoff at 1626 GMT.

Minus-6 minutes and counting. Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen supplies of the main cryogenic stage are being verified at flight level. Also, the pyrotechnic line safety barriers are being armed.

Minus-7 minutes and counting. The synchronized sequence has started. Computers are now in control of this automated final phase of the launch countdown to prepare the rocket and ground systems for liftoff. There are three computers running the countdown -- one aboard the Ariane 5 and two redundant computers at the ELA-3 launch complex.

Minus-8 minutes. One minute away from the beginning of the synchronized sequence. Everything remains green on the main status board.

Today's launch will be the 193rd launch of Europe's Ariane rocket family dating back to Christmas Eve of 1979, the 49th flight of the heavy-lifting Ariane 5 rocket, and the seventh Ariane 5 mission this year. The Ariane 5 rocket has 44 successful missions to its credit, including the last 34 consecutive flights since 2002. If all goes well this morning, this would mark the rocket's 45th success and 35th in a row.

Minus-10 minutes. The status board in the Jupiter Control Center is showing all parameters remain green, indicating everything remains "go" for an on-time launch at 1626 GMT (11:26 a.m. EST; 1:26 p.m. local time). The Ariane 5 must launch on time to reach the target 420-mile-high sun-synchronous orbit for Helios 2B.

During today's mission, the Ariane 5 solid rocket boosters will burn for 2 minutes, 20 seconds before separating at an altitude of nearly 50 miles. The payload shroud covering Helios 2B will be released at Plus+3 minutes, 10 seconds.

The first stage's hydrogen-fueled Vulcain main engine will cut off at Plus+9 minutes, 36 seconds. Six seconds later, the Ariane 5 stages will separate, followed by ignition of the storable propellant upper stage at Plus+9 minutes, 49 seconds.

The upper stage will fire for more than 16 minutes, during which the rocket will fly over communications sites at St. Hubert in eastern Canada and Svalbard in Norway.

The Aestus engine will shut down at Plus+26 minutes, 18 seconds, after which the upper stage and Helios 2B will coast halfway around the world before the satellite is deployed in range of a ground station in Perth, Australia.

Spacecraft separation is slated for Plus+59 minutes, 23 seconds.

Minus-45 minutes. Everything appears on track for an on-time launch at 1626 GMT (11:26 a.m. EST; 1:26 p.m. local time) from Kourou, French Guiana.

After liftoff, the 151-foot-tall rocket will roll on a northward trajectory from Kourou to traverse the northern Atlantic Ocean on the way to orbit. The Ariane 5 will be flying its first mission to polar orbit since delivering the Helios 2A satellite to space on Dec. 18, 2004.

Today is the 5th anniversary of the last Helios satellite launch.

The launch marks the final use of the Ariane 5 GS configuration developed to fill the gap in capability between the generic Ariane 5 rocket and the upgraded launcher with a cryogenic upper stage.

The Ariane 5 GS includes a storable propellant upper stage and solid rocket boosters loaded with extra propellant, an upgraded vehicle equipment bay made of composite material, and a Vulcain 1B first stage main engine.

Most future Ariane 5 missions will utilize the Ariane 5 ECA version with double payload stacks of commercial communications satellites. A specialty beefed-up configuration, called the Ariane 5 ES, will launch Europe's hefty Automated Transfer Vehicles to the International Space Station.

Minus-60 minutes. The launch team should have now completed a check of connections between the Ariane 5 rocket and ground telemetry, tracking and command systems.

Minus-90 minutes. Arianespace says it has resumed the final countdown for launch of the Helios 2B spy satellite for the French military.

Yesterday's launch attempt was scrubbed about five minutes before liftoff because of a technical glitch.

All reports are currently "go" for launch of the Helios 2B reconnaissance satellite atop the powerful Ariane 5 booster. At this point in the countdown, filling of the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks should be in the topping mode.

Coming up in about 20 minutes, continuity checks between the Ariane 5 rocket and the tracking, telemetry relay and commanding systems will be verified.

Arianespace has provided a statement on today's scrub:

"An anomaly occurred during final chronology for Flight 193-HELIOS 2B, thus halting the countdown.

Since the launch was to occur within a precise instant, a new attempt was not possible today.

The launch vehicle and its HELIOS 2B satellite payload are in stand-by mode and maintained in fully safe conditions.

A new date for the mission will be announced as soon as possible."

Arianespace officials say they will try again to launch the Ariane 5 rocket Friday morning, if possible. The launch time would be unchanged at 1626 GMT (11:26 a.m. EST).

SCRUB! Today's Ariane 5 launch has been scrubbed due to an unspecified issue that cropped up about six minutes before the scheduled liftoff time.

Minus-5 minutes, 17 seconds and holding. The countdown clock has halted and today's launch window is instantaneous. This is likely a scrub situation.

Minus-6 minutes and counting. The launch countdown has gone red, but clocks continue to tick.

Minus-7 minutes and counting. The synchronized sequence has started. Computers are now in control of this automated final phase of the launch countdown to prepare the rocket and ground systems for liftoff. There are three computers running the countdown -- one aboard the Ariane 5 and two redundant computers at the ELA-3 launch complex.

Minus-8 minutes. One minute away from the beginning of the synchronized sequence. Everything remains green on the main status board.

Minus-10 minutes. This mission is a rare morning launch for the Ariane 5, which typically launches during the afternoon or evening hours on flights with commercial communications satellites. The launch window is instantaneous for Helios 2B.

Today's launch comes one day before the 5th anniversary of the launch of sister satellite Helios 2A.

Minus-14 minutes. The 9,300-pound Helios 2B satellite and its medium-resolution camera were built by EADS Astrium. Thales Alenia Space was the contractor for the spacecraft's high-resolution camera to collect visible and infrared imagery.

The Ariane 5 will deposit Helios 2B in a 420-mile-high orbit. The satellite will raise its orbit to an altitude of 435 miles during a three-month commissioning and verification phase. Helios 2B should enter the French defense ministry's operational fleet early next year, joining the Helios 1A and Helios 2A satellites.

Minus-20 minutes. In the next few minutes, engineers will transition the Helios 2B payload to internal power.

The status board in the Jupiter Control Center is showing all parameters remain green, indicating everything remains "go" for an on-time launch at 1626 GMT (11:26 a.m. EST; 1:26 p.m. local time). The Ariane 5 must launch on time to reach the target 420-mile-high sun-synchronous orbit for Helios 2B.

During today's mission, the Ariane 5 solid rocket boosters will burn for 2 minutes, 20 seconds before separating at an altitude of nearly 50 miles. The payload shroud covering Helios 2B will be released at Plus+3 minutes, 10 seconds.

The first stage's hydrogen-fueled Vulcain main engine will cut off at Plus+9 minutes, 36 seconds. Six seconds later, the Ariane 5 stages will separate, followed by ignition of the storable propellant upper stage at Plus+9 minutes, 49 seconds.

The upper stage will fire for more than 16 minutes, during which the rocket will fly over communications sites at St. Hubert in eastern Canada and Svalbard in Norway.

The Aestus engine will shut down at Plus+26 minutes, 18 seconds, after which the upper stage and Helios 2B will coast halfway around the world before the satellite is deployed in range of a ground station in Perth, Australia.

Spacecraft separation is slated for Plus+59 minutes, 23 seconds.

Minus-25 minutes. Today's launch will be the 193rd launch of Europe's Ariane rocket family dating back to Christmas Eve of 1979, the 49th flight of the heavy-lifting Ariane 5 rocket, and the seventh Ariane 5 mission this year. The Ariane 5 rocket has 44 successful missions to its credit, including the last 34 consecutive flights since 2002. If all goes well this morning, this would mark the rocket's 45th success and 35th in a row.

Minus-45 minutes. Everything appears on track for an on-time launch at 1626 GMT (11:26 a.m. EST; 1:26 p.m. local time) from Kourou, French Guiana.

After liftoff, the 151-foot-tall rocket will roll on a northward trajectory from Kourou to traverse the northern Atlantic Ocean on the way to orbit. The Ariane 5 will be flying its first mission to polar orbit since delivering the Helios 2A satellite to space on Dec. 18, 2004.

Today's launch marks the final use of the Ariane 5 GS configuration developed to fill the gap in capability between the generic Ariane 5 rocket and the upgraded launcher with a cryogenic upper stage.

The Ariane 5 GS includes a storable propellant upper stage and solid rocket boosters loaded with extra propellant, an upgraded vehicle equipment bay made of composite material, and a Vulcain 1B first stage main engine.

Most future Ariane 5 missions will utilize the Ariane 5 ECA version with double payload stacks of commercial communications satellites. A specialty beefed-up configuration, called the Ariane 5 ES, will launch Europe's hefty Automated Transfer Vehicles to the International Space Station.

Minus-60 minutes. The launch team should have now completed a check of connections between the Ariane 5 rocket and ground telemetry, tracking and command systems.

Minus-90 minutes. All reports are currently "go" for launch of the Helios 2B reconnaissance satellite atop the powerful Ariane 5 booster. At this point in the countdown, filling of the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks should be in the topping mode.

Coming up in about 20 minutes, continuity checks between the Ariane 5 rocket and the tracking, telemetry relay and commanding systems will be verified.

Arianespace will try again Thursday to launch a French military reconnaissance satellite after a leaky helium system delayed the mission from last week.

The 151-foot-tall Ariane 5 rocket rolled on rail tracks from the final assembly building to the ELA-3 launch pad at the Guiana Space Center on Wednesday.

Liftoff is scheduled for an instantaneous window at 1626 GMT (11:26 a.m. EST), or 1:26 p.m. local time in Kourou, French Guiana.

During the final countdown Dec. 9, engineers discovered a leak in a first stage helium sphere. Helium is used to pressurize the first stage's liquid oxygen tank during flight, an Arianespace spokesperson said.

Arianespace rolled the Ariane 5 back to its assembly hangar for repairs.

Thursday's launch will be the seventh Ariane 5 mission of 2009, marking a record-breaking year for Europe's workhorse launch system. The launcher has sent commercial, scientific and military payloads into orbit this year.

Arianespace is also celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Ariane rocket family's first launch in December 1979. Thursday's Ariane 5 flight will be the 193rd launch of an Ariane rocket.

The launch team will begin assembling early Thursday morning in Kourou, beginning the launch countdown at 0456 GMT (11:56 p.m. EST). Engineers will check electrical systems at 0856 GMT (3:56 a.m. EST) and begin fueling the first stage with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen at 1136 GMT (6:36 a.m. EST).

The first stage's Vulcain main engine will be chilled down at 1306 GMT (8:06 a.m. EST). The launch team will verify good communications with the rocket through telemetry, tracking and command systems at 1516 GMT (10:16 a.m. EST).

Seven minutes before launch, computers will take control of the countdown in a synchronized sequence of events to pressurize propellant tanks, switch to on-board power and take the rocket's guidance system to flight mode.

The Vulcain engine will ignite as the countdown clock reaches zero, followed by a health check and ignition of the Ariane 5's solid rocket boosters seven seconds later to send the nearly 1.7 million-pound launcher skyward.

Spacecraft separation will occur 59 minutes after liftoff.

An Ariane 5 rocket is being readied to haul a French reconnaissance satellite to orbit Wednesday in a rare morning launch from the Guiana Space Center in South America.

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