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Ariane 5 launch timeline
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: September 21, 2011

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+00:12.6 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+00:48 Mach 1
The Ariane 5 rocket surpasses the speed of dound at an altitude of more than 21,000 feet.
H0+02:21 Booster Separation
The solid rocket boosters exhaust their propellant and are jettisoned from the Ariane 5's first stage.
H0+03:08 Jettison Payload Fairing
The two halves of the Ariane 5's payload fairing are jettisoned once the rocket leaves the thick lower atmosphere.
H0+08:59 Main Stage Shutdown
The cryogenic first stage's Vulcain 2 main engine shuts down.
H0+09:05 Stage Separation
Explosive bolts fire to separate the Ariane 5's first and second stages.
H0+09:09 Upper Stage Ignition 1
The upper stage's HM7B engine, burning cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, ignites to push the Arabsat 5C and SES 2 satellites toward geosynchronous transfer orbit.
H0+25:02 Upper Stage Shutdown
The upper stage's HM7B engine shuts down after reaching an oval-shaped transfer orbit stretching from a low point of 155 miles to a high point of 22,236 miles.
H0+27:21 Arabsat 5C Separation
The Arabsat 5C communications satellite is released from the upper position in the Ariane 5 rocket's payload stack.
H0+34:38 Upper Stage Shutdown 2
The Sylda dual-payload adapter is jettisoned, exposing the SES 2 satellite for separation.
H0+35:53 SES 2 Separation
The SES 2 communications satellite is released from the Ariane 5 launcher, completing the rocket's 60th flight.

Data source: Arianespace/Astrium