![]() Ariane 5 flight VA-256 on the launch pad with the James Webb Space Telescope in December 2021 | |
Function | Heavy-lift launch vehicle |
---|---|
Manufacturer | ArianeGroup |
Country of origin | European multi-national[a] |
Cost per launch | €150–200 million (2016)[1] |
Size | |
Height | 46–52 m (151–171 ft) |
Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
Mass | 777,000 kg (1,713,000 lb)[clarification needed] |
Stages | 2.5 |
Capacity | |
Payload to LEO | |
Altitude | 260 km (160 mi) (circular) |
Orbital inclination | 51.6° |
Mass | G: 16,000 kg (35,000 lb) ES: >20,000 kg (44,000 lb)[2] |
Payload to GTO | |
Mass |
|
Associated rockets | |
Family | Ariane |
Comparable | |
Launch history | |
Status | Retired |
Launch sites | Guiana Space Centre, ELA-3 |
Total launches | 117 (G: 16, G+: 3, GS: 6, ES: 8, ECA: 72, ECA+: 12) |
Success(es) | 112 (G: 13, G+: 3, GS: 6, ES: 8, ECA: 70, ECA+: 12) |
Failure(s) | 2 (G: 1, ECA: 1) |
Partial failure(s) | 3 (G: 2, ECA: 1) |
First flight |
|
Last flight |
|
Type of passengers/cargo | |
Boosters (G, G+) – EAP P238 | |
No. boosters | 2 |
Height | 31.6 m (104 ft) |
Diameter | 3.06 m (10.0 ft) |
Gross mass | 270,000 kg (600,000 lb) |
Maximum thrust | 6,650 kN (1,490,000 lbf) |
Total thrust | 13,300 kN (3,000,000 lbf) |
Burn time | 130 seconds |
Propellant | AP, Al, HTPB |
Boosters (GS, ECA, ES) – EAP P241 | |
No. boosters | 2 |
Height | 31.6 m (104 ft) |
Diameter | 3.06 m (10.0 ft) |
Empty mass | 33,000 kg (73,000 lb) |
Gross mass | 273,000 kg (602,000 lb) |
Maximum thrust | 7,080 kN (1,590,000 lbf) |
Total thrust | 14,160 kN (3,180,000 lbf) |
Burn time | 140 seconds |
Propellant | AP, Al, HTPB |
First stage (G, G+, GS) – EPC H158 | |
Height | 23.8 m (78 ft) |
Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
Empty mass | 12,200 kg (26,900 lb) |
Gross mass | 170,500 kg (375,900 lb) |
Powered by | G/G+: 1 × Vulcain 1 GS: 1 × Vulcain 1B |
Maximum thrust | vac: 1,015 kN (228,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | vac: 440 s (4.3 km/s) |
Burn time | 605 seconds |
Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
First stage (ECA, ES) – EPC H173 | |
Height | 23.8 m (78 ft) |
Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
Empty mass | 14,700 kg (32,400 lb) |
Gross mass | 184,700 kg (407,200 lb) |
Powered by | 1 × Vulcain 2 |
Maximum thrust | SL: 960 kN (220,000 lbf) vac: 1,390 kN (310,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | SL: 310 s (3.0 km/s) vac: 432 s (4.24 km/s) |
Burn time | 540 seconds |
Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
Second stage (G) – EPS L9.7 | |
Height | 3.4 m (11 ft) |
Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
Empty mass | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) |
Gross mass | 10,900 kg (24,000 lb) |
Powered by | 1 × Aestus |
Maximum thrust | 27 kN (6,100 lbf) |
Burn time | 1,100 seconds |
Propellant | MMH / N2O4 |
Second stage (G+, GS, ES) – EPS L10 | |
Height | 3.4 m (11 ft) |
Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
Empty mass | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) |
Gross mass | 11,200 kg (24,700 lb) |
Powered by | 1 × Aestus |
Maximum thrust | 27 kN (6,100 lbf) |
Burn time | 1,170 seconds |
Propellant | MMH / N2O4 |
Second stage (ECA, ECA+) – ESC | |
Height | 4.711 m (15.46 ft) |
Diameter | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
Empty mass | 4,540 kg (10,010 lb) |
Gross mass | 19,440 kg (42,860 lb) |
Powered by | 1 × HM7B |
Maximum thrust | 67 kN (15,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 446 seconds |
Burn time | 945 seconds |
Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
Ariane 5 is a retired European heavy-lift space launch vehicle developed and operated by Arianespace for the European Space Agency (ESA). It was launched from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in French Guiana. It was used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), low Earth orbit (LEO) or further into space. The launch vehicle had a streak of 82 consecutive successful launches between 9 April 2003 and 12 December 2017. Since 2014,[4] Ariane 6, a direct successor system, is in development.[5]
The system was designed as an expendable launch system by the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), the French government's space agency, in cooperation with various European partners. Despite not being a direct derivative of its predecessor launch vehicle program, it was classified as part of the Ariane rocket family. ArianeGroup was the prime contractor for the manufacturing of the vehicles, leading a multi-country consortium of other European contractors. Ariane 5 was originally intended to launch the Hermes spacecraft, and thus it was rated for human space launches.
Since its first launch, Ariane 5 was refined in successive versions: "G", "G+", "GS", "ECA", and finally, "ES". The system had a commonly used dual-launch capability, where up to two large geostationary belt communication satellites can be mounted using a SYLDA (Système de Lancement Double Ariane, meaning "Ariane Double-Launch System") carrier system. Up to three, somewhat smaller, main satellites are possible depending on size using a SPELTRA (Structure Porteuse Externe Lancement Triple Ariane, which translates to "Ariane Triple-Launch External Carrier Structure"). Up to eight secondary payloads, usually small experiment packages or minisatellites, could be carried with an ASAP (Ariane Structure for Auxiliary Payloads) platform.
Following the launch of 15 August 2020, Arianespace signed the contracts for the last eight Ariane 5 launches, before it was succeeded by the new Ariane 6 launcher, according to Daniel Neuenschwander, director of space transportation at the ESA.[6][5] Ariane 5 flew its final mission on 5 July 2023.[7]
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