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Mission Update

Ariane 5's 25 consecutive successes: the facts at a glance

June 12, 2008

The Ariane 5's 25 back-to-back successful flights orbited an impressive line-up of payloads for Arianespace customers, playing a key role in the development global civil and military telecommunications networks, improving governmental reconnaissance capabilities and contributing to the exploration of space.

Ariane 5's series of mission successes cover a five year period beginning in April 2003. The following recapitulation highlights the workhorse Arianespace launcher's record performance:

• Total payloads orbited: 45 primary passengers, plus nine auxiliary/piggyback payloads
• Total payload mass orbited: more than 177,100 kg.
• Types of payloads orbited: Civilian telecommunications satellites, secure military relay platforms, a resupply vehicle for servicing of the International Space Station, a military observation platform, a lunar science spacecraft and a deep space probe for a comet interception mission.
• Heaviest passenger orbited: the Automated Transfer Vehicle resupply spacecraft for the International Space Station, with a liftoff weight of 19,000 kg.
• Orbits/trajectories served: geostationary transfer orbit, Sun-synchronous orbit, circular orbit and Earth escape trajectory.

• See the Mission Update for details on Ariane 5's successful launch with Skynet 5C & Turksat 3A
• View the successful Ariane 5 ECA mission in photos.
• The press release has more details on today's heavy-lift success.
• Arianespace's official Launch Kit has additional information on this Ariane 5 mission with Skynet 5C & Turksat 3A.