PHOTOS: Ariane 5 poised for launch

BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW

Posted: March 22, 2012

ESA photographer Stephane Corvaja snapped these spectacular photos of the Ariane 5 launcher on the pad Wednesday following rollout from the vehicle's final assembly building.

The images were captured from a helicopter, the top of the ELA-3 launch pad's sound suppression water tower, and from around the facility Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Liftoff with the European Space Agency's third Automated Transfer Vehicle to the International Space Station is set for 0434 GMT (12:34 a.m. EDT; 1:34 a.m. French Guiana time) Friday.

Photo credit: ESA/Stephane Corvaja























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