Tag: Arianespace

  • Finely-crafted experimental space probe ready for launch

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    Updated after launch postponement. Artist’s concept of the LISA Pathfinder probe. Credit: ESA KOUROU, French Guiana — A modest European-built spacecraft tuned to test the delicate, cutting edge technologies required to detect gravitational waves, a measurement that scientists say could yield unforeseen discoveries about the universe, is awaiting liftoff aboard a solid-fueled Vega rocket this…

  • LISA Pathfinder launch grounded to analyze Vega upper stage

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    Updated with more details. Artist’s concept of the LISA Pathfinder spacecraft separating from the fourth stage of the Vega rocket. Credit: ESA KOUROU, French Guiana — Launch managers in French Guiana have delayed liftoff of a European gravitational probe pathfinder at least one day to study the thermal extremes the upper stage of its Vega…

  • Photos: Experimental LISA Pathfinder probe processed for launch

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    The European Space Agency’s LISA Pathfinder spacecraft, destined to test the concept of gravitational wave detection a million miles from Earth, is nearly ready for launch Dec. 2. The hexagonal spacecraft, plus a disposable propulsion module to get it to an observation post at the L1 Lagrange point, arrived at Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana…

  • Vega booster crowned with gravitational probe pathfinder

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    LISA Pathfinder and its orbit-raising propulsion module were enclosed inside the Vega rocket’s payload fairing Nov. 16. Credit: ESA-Manuel Pedoussaut, 2015 After criss-crossing Europe for a decade, the LISA Pathfinder satellite testbed has reached its last stop before launch in early December on a mission to demonstrate the delicate technologies required to detect elusive low-frequency gravitational…

  • Rewatch the Ariane 5’s spectacular sunset liftoff

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    Watch multi-angle video replays of Tuesday’s blastoff of an Ariane 5 rocket from the jungles of South America carrying two communications satellite for Arabsat and the Indian Space Research Organization. The liftoff occurred at 2134  GMT (4:34 p.m. EST; 6:34 p.m. local time), just after sunset at the French Guiana space center, on the Ariane…

  • Arab and Indian satellites fly aboard Ariane 5

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    Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – P. Baudon A European Ariane 5 rocket, burning a cryogenic mixture of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, thundered into the sky over French Guiana at dusk Tuesday with two communications relay satellites to serve the Arab world and India. Like clockwork, the rocket lit its liquid-fueled Vulcain…

  • Photos: Ariane 5 counting down to liftoff

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    Launch crews rolled out a nearly 180-foot-tall Ariane 5 rocket to its launch pad Monday in a final major step before liftoff with the Arabsat 6B and GSAT 15 communications satellites to broadcast television, broadband and other telecom services across Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and India. Pulled by a heavy-duty Titan tug along…

  • Live coverage: Ariane 5 soars into space from Kourou

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    Live coverage of the countdown and launch of an Ariane 5 rocket with the Arabsat 6B and GSAT 15 communications satellites. Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page. Follow us on Twitter.

  • Launch managers sign off on final Ariane 5 flight of 2015

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    A team member working on the next Ariane 5 flight signs the rocket’s payload fairing ahead of Tuesday’s liftoff. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace – Optique Video du CSG – S. Martin A launch readiness review Friday cleared an Ariane 5 rocket for liftoff Tuesday with two communications satellites for Arabsat and India, the first three missions from…

  • Eutelsat goes for rare dedicated Ariane 5 launch

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    Updated with details. Artist’s concept of the Eutelsat 65 West A satellite. Credit: Eutelsat/SSL Paris-based satellite operator Eutelsat plans to launch a spacecraft for video broadcasting and broadband connectivity over Latin America aboard a dedicated Ariane 5 rocket in early 2016, several months earlier than planned, on a rare commercial single-payload flight of the workhorse…