2010

• June 26 – Arabsat-5A is lofted by Ariane 5 as the seventh Arabsat satellite orbited by Arianespace since 1985; COMS becomes a new Ariane-launched payload for South Korea.
• May 21 – The 50th Ariane 5 is launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana with a mixed civilian and military telecommunications satellite payload – SES ASTRA's ASTRA 3B and Germany's
  COMSATBw-2.

2009

• December 18 – With Ariane 5’s on-target launch of the Helios 2B military observation satellite from Europe’s Spaceport, Arianespace’s heavy-lift workhorse marks 35 consecutive successful missions during seven years of operation.
• October 29 – Ariane 5 launches the NSS-12 and THOR 6 satellites from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, scoring a 34th consecutive mission success for Arianespace’s commercial heavy-lift workhorse.
• October 1 – A mixed civilian/military telecom satellite payload – Amazonas 2 for Spain’s HISPASAT and COMSATBw-1 for the German armed forces – is successfully orbited by Ariane 5 on its fifth mission of 2009.
• August 21 – Ariane 5 successfully lofts a pair of U.S.-built commercial telecommunications satellites for two key Asia-Pacific customers – JCSAT-12 and Optus D3 – on its fourth mission of 2009.

• July 1 – Ariane 5 scores its 31st consecutive mission success with the launch of TerreStar-1, the largest telecommunications satellite ever orbited.

• July 1 – Ariane 5 scores its 31st consecutive mission success with the launch of TerreStar-1, the largest telecommunications satellite ever orbited.

• May 14 – Ariane’s first payloads destined for the Sun-Earth system's second Lagrange point (L2) are successfully lofted by an Ariane 5.  This flight – which Ariane 5’s 44th mission, and its 30th consecutive success – carries the European Space Agency’s Herschel space telescope and the Planck observatory.

• February 12 – Ariane 5's on-target year-opening mission orbits HOT BIRD™ 10, NSS-9 and two Spirale payloads, marking the heavy-lift vehicle's 29th consecutive success.

• January 30 – Arianespace signs a contract with Astrium Space Transportation for the production of 35 Ariane 5 ECAs, bringing the total number of heavy-lift launch vehicles under production to 49.

2008

• December 20 – Ariane 5 scores a dual success for Eutelsat, orbiting the HOT BIRD™ 9 and W2M satellites for this European-based telecommunications provider.
• August 14 – Arianespace carries out its ninth Ariane 5 mission during a 12-month period, demonstrating the company’s ability to maintain its sustained flight rate with the workhorse heavy-lift vehicle.  This flight carried the Superbird-7 and AMC-21 satellite payloads.
• June 12 – Arianespace performs its 25th consecutive Ariane 5 mission success, orbiting a dual satellite payload of Skynet 5C and Turksat 3A with an Ariane 5 ECA.
• March 9 – Ariane 5 orbits its heaviest payload to date, placing the 19,000 kg.-Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) on its way to a rendezvous with the International Space Station.

2007

• November 14 – The Ariane 5 ECA launcher sets a new heavy-lift record, orbiting a total payload of more than 8,700 kg. with the Skynet 5B and Star One C1 satellites.
• August 14 – Arianespace performs its first launch for Hughes Network Systems, orbiting the SPACEWAY 3 satellite on a dual-payload Ariane 5 ECA mission with BSAT-3a.
• June 23 – Arianespace signs a preliminary order with Astrium for the production of 35 Ariane 5 launchers, which is in addition to the batch of 30 Ariane 5s ordered in 2004.

2006

• November 14 – The Ariane 5 ECA launcher sets a new heavy-lift record, orbiting a total payload of more than 8,700 kg. with the Skynet 5B and Star One C1 satellites.
• August 14 – Arianespace performs its first launch for Hughes Network Systems, orbiting the SPACEWAY 3 satellite on a dual-payload Ariane 5 ECA mission with BSAT-3a.
• June 23 – Arianespace signs a preliminary order with Astrium for the production of 35 Ariane 5 launchers, which is in addition to the batch of 30 Ariane 5s ordered in 2004.

2005

• November 17 – The heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA boosts a record payload into orbit by lofting the SPACEWAY 2 high-definition direct broadcast satellite for American operator DIRECTV, and the TELKOM 2 communications satellite for Indonesian operator PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk. With a total mass of over 8,000 kg. injected into orbit, the SPACEWAY 2 and TELKOM 2 satellites represent the heaviest dual payload ever launched.
• February 12 – The Ariane 5 ECA launcher successfully orbits the XTAR-EUR communications satellite and the Sloshsat scientific payload, validating the heavy-lift launcher's performance and accuracy.

2004

• May 10 – An industry contract is signed for the manufacture of 30 Ariane 5 launchers, providing a production volume that will enable Arianespace to enhance its performance, ensure launch service continuity and maintain its competitiveness on the international launcher market. The 30-launcher batch will consist primarily of standardized Ariane 5 ECA vehicles, but also will include the Ariane 5 ES version for missions with the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

2003

• September 27 – Ariane 5 carries its first triple-spacecraft payload on Flight 162. The mission successfully lofted the Indian Space Research Organisation's INSAT 3E telecommunications/video broadcast satellite, the e-BIRD broadband services platform for Europe’s Eutelsat and the SMART-1 lunar probe for the European Space Agency.

2002

• August 28 – Flight 155 orbits telecom and weather satellites on Ariane 5's 13th launch, demonstrating the launcher's capability to pair up all types of satellites on a single mission. The Ariane 5's payload consisted of the Atlantic BirdTM 1 telecommunications satellite built by Alenia Spazio for EUTELSAT, and the MSG-1 weather satellite for the European Meteorological Satellite (EUMETSAT) organization.
• February 28 – On Flight 145, an Ariane 5 places the European Space Agency's Envisat into a highly accurate Sun-synchronous orbit on a record-setting mission. The 8,000-kg. Envisat was the largest satellite ever built in Europe, the heaviest payload carried by an Ariane, and it used the longest fairing available for Ariane 5.

2000

• November 15 – On a single mission, Ariane 5 lofts the PAS-1R and three auxiliary payloads on Flight 135, setting a new record by placing 6,313 kg. into orbit.
• June 7 – The largest launch services contract in the history of Europe's space industry is signed by the European Space Agency with Arianespace for nine firm Ariane 5 flights to carry the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

1999

• December 10 – Ariane 5 becomes the first new-generation heavy-lift launcher to enter commercial service with the successful Flight 119/AR 504 mission. The launcher placed its XMM X -ray observatory satellite into an accurate elliptical orbit.
• July 20 – Arianespace orders 20 Ariane 5 launchers in the P2 production batch, adding to the 14 previously contracted during 1995 for the first production batch.
• March 30 – Launch campaign begins for Flight 504 –Arianespace's first Ariane 5 commercial flight.

1998

• October 21 – Ariane 5 is ready for operational service after the mission success on its third qualification flight. The launcher carries the Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator and Maqsat 3 payloads.
  

1997

• November 25 – An agreement officially transferring the management, maintenance and operation of Ariane 5's ELA3 launch facility from the European Space Agency to Arianespace.
• October 30 – Ariane 5's second test flight succeeds.

1996

• June 4 – The Ariane 5 501 test flight fails.
• February 27 – Acceptance of the Vulcain engine for the first Ariane 5 flight (the 501 mission).

1995

• October 18-20 – The ESA Council meets at the ministerial level in Toulouse, France. Go-ahead is given for the Ariane 5 evolution program that will increase the launcher's lift capability to geostationary transfer orbit to 7,400 kg. (16,309 lb.) in a dual- launch configuration by the year 2003. The meeting also approves the ATRA 5 technology program for Ariane 5, as well as the Ariane 5 infrastructure program to maintain and improve production and launch facilities.
• June 12 – Arianespace places order with industry for 14 Ariane 5s.
• June 1 – First development test of a complete Ariane 5 cryogenic stage.
• March 19 – First qualification static test firing of an Ariane 5 solid booster.

1994

• November 17 – First test firing of a Vulcain main engine installed on the battleship test stand.
• October 5 – Static test firing of the Aestus upper stage engine for 1,075 sec.
• February – Ariane 5's critical design review completed.

1993

• June 25 – First test static firing of the solid rocket booster using the nominal motor structure.
• Early 1993 – Dynamic testing begins on the main cryogenic stage for Ariane.
• February 16 -- First full-scale test firing of Ariane 5's full-scale solid booster at the Guiana Space Center. The static test uses a booster with reinforced "battleship" structure.

1991

• October 24 – The solid propellant production facility for Ariane 5's solid rocket motors opens at the Guiana Space Center.
  

1990

• July – First test firing of a Vulcain cryogenic main engine at Vernon, France.

1988

• June 18 – The Ariane 4 makes its first flight.

1987

• November 9/10 – ESA member nations agree to proceed with the Ariane 5's development program.

1985

• January 31 – The European Space Agency's (ESA) Council meets at the ministerial level in Rome, and a decision in principle is taken to proceed with the Ariane 5's preparatory program.