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. |
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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. |
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H0+00:12.7 |
Start Pitch Maneuver |
The Ariane 5 rocket begins to pitch over after rising vertically from the ELA-3 launch pad. |
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H0+00:17.1 |
Start Roll Maneuver |
The Ariane 5 rocket starts its roll maneuver to head east away from the Guiana Space Center. |
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H0+00:50.2 |
Mach 1 |
At an altitude of 6,900 meters, or about 22,600 feet, the Ariane 5 launcher passes the speed of sound. |
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H0+02:23 |
Booster Separation |
The solid rocket boosters exhaust their propellant and are jettisoned from the Ariane 5's first stage. |
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H0+03:24 |
Jettison Payload Fairing |
The two halves of the Ariane 5's 5.4-meter, or 17.7-foot, diameter payload fairing are jettisoned once the
rocket leaves the thick lower atmosphere. |
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H0+09:00 |
Main Stage Shutdown |
The cryogenic first stage's Vulcain 2 main engine shuts down. |
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H0+09:06 |
Stage Separation |
Explosive bolts fire to separate the Ariane 5's first and second stages. |
|
H0+09:10 |
Upper Stage Ignition |
The upper stage's HM7B engine, burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, ignites to propel the Skynet 5D and Mexsat Bicentenario satellites to orbit. |
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H0+25:07 |
Upper Stage Shutdown 1 |
The upper stage's HM7B engine shuts down after reaching an orbit with a low point of 155 miles, a high point of 22,355 miles and an inclination of 2 degrees. |
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H0+27:06 |
Skynet 5D Separation |
The Ariane 5 rocket deploys the Skynet 5D communications satellite for Astrium Services and the UK Ministry of Defence. |
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H0+34:37 |
Sylda 5 Separation |
The Sylda 5 dual-payload adapter is jettisoned to expose the Mexsat Bicencenario satellite for separation. |
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H0+36:11 |
Mexsat Bicencenario Separation |
The Ariane 5 rocket deploys the Mexsat Bicentenario satellite for the Mexican government. |
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