From telecommunications to great space observatories.
Ariane 5 is the European heavy launcher that carries commercial satellites, ATV cargo vehicles and major scientific missions. None of its flights carries astronauts.
Its first launch in 1996 fails following a software problem. The programme corrects the design and subsequently becomes a central part of operations from Kourou.
The family supports exploration through Rosetta, the James Webb Space Telescope and Juice. Its final launch takes place in July 2023 after more than a quarter-century of service.
Selected representative missions; crew names belong to the flight shown.
Webb departs for its observing location around the L2 Lagrange point, with no crew aboard.
Juice begins its journey to Jupiter to investigate the planet's large icy moons.
Dates follow the days reported by the source agencies, generally in local time; the UTC day can differ. Crews belong to the selected missions, not every flight in the family.
It shows how shared launch infrastructure can support communications, space stations and astronomy alike.
First flight or first test of the family, including unsuccessful or suborbital attempts.
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