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

December 8 -- Arianespace’s final Ariane 5 mission of the year orbits the WildBlue-1 and AMC-18 satellites, bringing total payloads lofted by Ariane 5 in 2006 to 10 primary satellites and one auxiliary passenger – more than all competitors combined.

November 8 -- Emerging North American mobile communications operator TerreStar Networks chooses Arianespace to launch TerreStar I, which will be the largest commercial communications satellite ever launched into geostationary orbit.

May 27 -- Ariane 5 ECA delivers a record-setting dual-satellite payload of more than 8,200 kg. to geostationary transfer orbit by lofting the Satmex 6 and Thaicom 5 spacecraft.

March 11 -- Arianespace’s dual-satellite mission with HOT BIRD^TM 7A & SPAINSAT is performed with the first Ariane 5 manufactured under complete control of prime contractor EADS Space Transportation.

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 Bird^TM 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 commercial flight for the Ariane 5.

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.