Launch Vehicles
Ariane 5
Europe
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Europe's heavy-lift workhorse for nearly three decades, whose maiden flight famously exploded 37 seconds after liftoff due to a software error before it went on to become one of the most reliable launch vehicles ever built. It launched the James Webb Space Telescope and Rosetta comet mission before its retirement in 2023.
Facts
Vehicle ClassHeavy-lift expendable launch vehicle 1 Manufacturer First Flight DateDate of its failed maiden flight; regular successful service followed after a redesign. StatusRetired in 2023 after its 117th and final flight, succeeded by Ariane 6. 1 Payload to LEO (kg)Approximately 21,000 kg. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Includes
Its direct successor in the Ariane launch vehicle family, though built on a new rather than shared airframe.
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