About ESA
The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
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Space in Member States
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
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Science & Exploration
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
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Enabling & Support
Making space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Ariane 5
An ESA/CNES document presenting Ariane 5 and its capacities. This programme also shows the history of the Ariane family, the test campaign, the industrial involvement and all the new possibilities offered by Ariane 5. The video includes:
0:00 Launch of Ariane 5 – with very nice animation of the roll-out of the first Ariane 5, the Ariane 501, to the launch site. Very good video of Ariana 5 on launch pad, of the integration, and of the perspective having a launcher for putting large satellites in orbit.
1:38 Ariane has captured over 60% of the commercial launch marked world-wide and has established itself as an especially reliable launcher, and has enabled Europe to build-up an independent space industry.
1:56 History of Ariane political approval 1973, its development and launches up to Ariane 5.
4:21 Introduction to the Ariane 5 programme and the launcher. Very nice animated illustration of Arian 5
6:33 Introduction to the completely new launch ground in Kourou for Ariane 5
7:26 Ariane 6 will be able to launch a single satellite up to 6.2 tons, or a combined two satellites up to 6 tons, and will support launches into all sort of orbits
8:27 Nice animated video of Ariane launch putting satellite in orbit.
9:23 Animation of count-down to the maiden launch of the Ariane 5 rocket - the Ariane 501 launch, from launch site no.3, on 4 June 1996. Unfortunately this launch failed, however this is not seen in the video.
10:10 the end
