In close-up: Ariane 5, the record rocket! A look back at five memorable moments

2004, 2 March: Flight VA158
The fastest speed ever achieved by an Ariane rocket was 37 476km/h (10,410m/s), for injection of the comet-chasing Rosetta probe into an interplanetary trajectory to head off on its 10-year journey. At this speed, the trip from Paris to New York is only nine minutes and 22 seconds!

2008, 9 March: Flight VA181
At around 20 tons, the ATV cargo supply carrier to the ISS is by far the most massive payload ever lofted by an Ariane rocket, and needed a specifically adapted, strengthened version, the Ariane 5 ES with its re-ignitable upper stage. After a perfect performance on its maiden flight with ATV-1 Jules Verne, Ariane 5 ES flawlessly launched all four following ATVs.

2017, 1 June: Flight VA237
The first Ariane mission to launch satellites for Europe’s global navigation system Galileo, deploying a specially modified version of the Ariane 5 ES, had no time to lose – there was no launch window for this flight. The rocket had to lift off at 13.06.48 precisely or not at all. So it did.

2017, 1 June: Flight VA237
Ariane 5 set (again!) a new record for payload lift of two telecommunications satellites to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) – with a total payload performance of 10 865kg, this was over 100kg more than the rocket’s previous personal best, and represents a 15% payload capacity increase since entering service.

2018, 26 September: Flight VA243
A classic flight, standard dual launch of two telecommunications satellites with a gross mass of 10,827kg, faultless performance, successful mission. Just that this was the 100th Ariane 5 launch, and a further demonstration that launching 10 metric tons into orbit is now normal business for Ariane 5!