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Europe's Ariane 5 rocket completes farewell launch with double satellite mission

Ariane 5 most recently launched ESA's Juice mission to Jupiter and the James Webb Space Telescope.

By Emilee Speck Source FOX Weather

Ariane 5 launches for final time sending Franco-German missions to orbit

Europe's heavy lift rocket, the Ariane 5 completed its final mission on July 5 sending German and French satellites into orbit. The rocket began launching in 1996.

In a swan song mission, Europe's Ariane 5 launched two satellites on Wednesday, ending a 27-year career in spaceflight.

At 7 p.m. local time, the heavy-lift rocket launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, sending French and German satellites into geostationary transfer orbits. Both payloads were delivered into orbit about 33 minutes after lift-off. 

The launch marked Ariane 5's 117th and final mission. 

Europe's only operational rocket began launching in 1996, following Ariane 1 through 4. The Ariane series design dates back to the 1960s, with several European counties teaming up to develop the launcher. 

However, the European Space Agency notes that while the Ariane rockets were closely related, Ariane 5 was developed as an all-new launch system designed to carry larger payloads into space.

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The Ariane 5 rocket launches from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana carrying to space two payloads – the German space agency DLR’s experimental communications satellite Heinrich Hertz and the French communications satellite Syracuse 4b. (Image: ESA photographer S. Corvaja) (ESA)

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Ariane 5 launch vehicle for flight VA261 sits on the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Flight VA261 will carry to space two payloads – the German space agency DLR’s experimental communications satellite Heinrich Hertz and the French communications satellite Syracuse 4b. (Image credits: ESA - S. Corvaja (ESA)

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Launch of Ariane 5 rocket on Dec. 25 2021, carrying the James Webb Space Telescope into orbit (Image: ESA/Arianespace/CNES/Optique Vidéo du CSG) (ESA)

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The Ariane 5 rocket launches from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana carrying to space two payloads – the German space agency DLR’s experimental communications satellite Heinrich Hertz and the French communications satellite Syracuse 4b. (Image: ESA photographer S. Corvaja) (ESA)

EUROPEAN SPACE TELESCOPE LAUNCHED FROM FLORIDA WILL STUDY MYSTERIES OF UNIVERSE EXPANSION

Ariane 5 most recently launched ESA's Juice mission to Jupiter and the famed ESA, Canadian and NASA mission, the James Webb Space Telescope.

With its final launch, and without Ariane 5, Europe lacks a heavy lift launcher. Europe's smaller rocket, the Vega C, is sidelined following three failures. 

The Ariane 5 rocket launches from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana carrying to space two payloads – the German space agency DLR’s experimental communications satellite Heinrich Hertz and the French communications satellite Syracuse 4b. (Image: ESA photographer S. Corvaja) (ESA)

Ariane 6 is still in development, with the first flight planned for the fourth quarter of this year, according to the ESA.

In the meantime, ESA member countries will continue to purchase launches from private launch companies, including SpaceX.