The Ariane 5 rocket successfully lifted off yesterday after two launch delays

The Ariane 5 rocket successfully lifted off yesterday after two launch delays

It happens to the Ariane 4 rocket, although it does not derive directly from it. The development of the launcher lasted ten years and cost 7 billion euros. ESA initially developed the Ariane 5 as a launcher for the European mini shuttle Hermes, but when the Hermes project was shelved it was decided to transform the launcher into a purely commercial rocket.

The primary use of the Ariane 5 is the positioning of satellites in geostationary orbit. Two satellites can be charged using the Sylda charger. Even three satellites can be loaded, if they are small enough in weight and size. Up to eight secondary payloads can be transported, mainly small payloads with experiments or microsatellites that are loaded with the ASAP (Ariane Structure for Auxiliary Payloads) loader.
After two launch delays, The Ariane 5 rocket successfully lifted off at 19pm local time (00 GMT) yesterday, Wednesday, from the Guyana Space Center in Kourou.
Ariane 5 carries a French military communications satellite (Syracuse 4B) and a German experimental satellite. The rocket's last flight had been postponed twice: on June 16 for technical reasons, then on July 4 due to bad weather.