# Arianespace Ariane 5
*launch services*

## Specifications
- **merge suggestions**: [{"slug":"arianespace-vega-c","name":"Arianespace Vega C","score":0.7,"matchedOn":"slug","matchedValue":"arianespace-vega-c"},{"slug":"arianespace-vega","name":"Arianespace Vega","score":0.65,"matchedOn":"slug","matchedValue":"arianespace-vega"},{"slug":"arianespace-soyuz","name":"Arianespace Soyuz","score":0.6,"matchedOn":"slug","matchedValue":"arianespace-soyuz"}]
- **entity type**: launch_service
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-16
- **verified by**: agency-doc
- **claim status**: unclaimed
- **attributes**: {"merge_suggestions":"[{\"slug\":\"arianespace-vega-c\",\"name\":\"Arianespace Vega C\",\"score\":0.7,\"matchedOn\":\"slug\",\"matchedValue\":\"arianespace-vega-c\"},{\"slug\":\"arianespace-vega\",\"name\":\"Arianespace Vega\",\"score\":0.65,\"matchedOn\":\"slug\",\"matchedValue\":\"arianespace-vega\"},{\"slug\":\"arianespace-soyuz\",\"name\":\"Arianespace Soyuz\",\"score\":0.6,\"matchedOn\":\"slug\",\"matchedValue\":\"arianespace-soyuz\"}]"}
- **relevance**: in-scope

## Editorial
Ariane 5 is a retired European heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle that flew 117 missions between 1996 and 2023 from the ELA-3 pad at Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana.[^wiki-ariane5] The vehicle comprised a cryogenic core stage (Vulcain 2 engine, LH2/LOX), two solid strap-on boosters, and either a cryogenic upper stage (ESC-A, HM-7B engine) or a storable upper stage (EPS, Aestus engine), with a 5.4 m diameter fairing.[^esa-ariane5][^gunters-ariane5]

The primary commercial variant, Ariane 5 ECA, carried up to 9,600 kg to GTO on a dual-manifest; later ECA+ batches (PB and PC series) raised GTO capacity to approximately 10,200 kg[^gunters-ariane5]; higher figures of 10,865-11,115 kg appear in other records and may reflect different manifest configurations.[^wiki-ariane5] LEO capacity reached 21,000 kg to low-inclination orbit.[^gunters-ariane5] The vehicle's final flight was on 2023-07-05.[^wiki-ariane5] Notable EO payloads carried include Envisat (2002), Jason-1 (2001), METOP-A (2006), and the Meteosat Second Generation series.[^esa-ariane5][^wiki-ariane5]

## Sources
- [gunters-ariane5] | Ariane-5 - Gunter's Space Page | https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/ariane-5.htm | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-16
- [wiki-ariane5] | Ariane 5 - Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariane_5 | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-16
- [esa-ariane5] | Ariane 5 - ESA | https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Launch_vehicles/Ariane_5 | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-16

---
Source: https://eo-atlas.org/launch_services/arianespace-ariane-5
Maintainer: SpectraWorks B.V. (CC-BY 4.0)