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Ariane 5 launch timeline
SPACEFLIGHT NOW Posted: February 6, 2013
| H0 |
Main Engine Ignition |
| The Ariane 5 rocket's first stage Vulcain 2 main engine ignites and undergoes a thorough health check on the launch pad. |
|
| H0+00:07.3 |
Launch |
| Producing about 2.6 million pounds of thrust, the Ariane 5 rocket's two solid rocket boosters ignite to lift the launcher into the sky. |
|
| H0+00:12.6 |
Start Pitch Maneuver |
| The Ariane 5 rocket begins to pitch over after rising vertically from the ELA-3 launch pad. |
|
| H0+00:17.1 |
Start Roll Maneuver |
| The Ariane 5 rocket starts its roll maneuver to head east away from the Guiana Space Center. |
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| H0+00:48.6 |
Mach 1 |
| At an altitude of 6,650 meters, or about 21,800 feet, the Ariane 5 launcher passes the speed of sound. |
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| H0+02:22 |
Booster Separation |
| The solid rocket boosters exhaust their propellant and are jettisoned from the Ariane 5's first stage. |
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| H0+03:18 |
Jettison Payload Fairing |
| The two halves of the Ariane 5's 5.4-meter, or 17.7-foot, diameter payload fairing are jettisoned once the
rocket leaves the thick lower atmosphere. |
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| H0+08:51 |
Main Stage Shutdown |
| The cryogenic first stage's Vulcain 2 main engine shuts down. |
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| H0+08:57 |
Stage Separation |
| Explosive bolts fire to separate the Ariane 5's first and second stages. |
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| H0+09:00 |
Upper Stage Ignition |
| The upper stage's HM7B engine, burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, ignites to propel the Amazonas 3 and Azerspace/Africasat 1a satellites to orbit. |
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| H0+25:14 |
Upper Stage Shutdown 1 |
| The upper stage's HM7B engine shuts down after reaching an orbit with a low point of 154 miles, a high point of 22,236 miles and an inclination of 6 degrees. |
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| H0+27:55 |
Amazonas 3 Separation |
| The Ariane 5 rocket deploys the Amazonas 3 communications satellite for Hispasat of Madrid. |
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| H0+34:40 |
Sylda 5 Separation |
| The Sylda 5 dual-payload adapter is jettisoned to expose the Azerspace/Africasat 1a satellite for separation. |
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| H0+34:42 |
Azerspace/Africasat 1a Separation |
| The Ariane 5 rocket deploys the Azerspace/Africasat 1a for Azercosmos, a state-owned entity within the Azerbaijan Ministry of Communications. |
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Data source: EADS Astrium
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